Too Irritating to Ignore?
by XxSoulNoteWriterxX
Summary: Hibiki and Minako become friends with Yuuki and Red with some added tension. Red feeds Minako lies to find out more about Hibiki, the one man he cannot read because of mind barriers. OC Story, just something funny.
1. Chapter 1

"Minako~" Hibiki called from the darkness at the end of the hall. His shadow could be seen spread across the wall from some light around the corner. The shadow's hand was stuck out, beckoning her to go.

Minako blinked in confusion before slowly moving down the hall towards Hibiki's voice. "H-Hibiki?" She called back.

"Come on, Minako." Hibiki said slowly, pronuciating each sylibal carefully.

Minako continued to follow his voice towards the end of the hall where she could make out Hibiki's form. Shadows fell over his face as he stared at Minako, arms outstretched to call her close to him. Minako slowly moved to wrap her arms around her love. Hibiki slowly wrapped his arms around Minako's shoulders and leaned his ear down to whisper in her ear, "You naive little child." His lips turned down into a frown and he suddenly shouted, "You stupid little child!"

Before Minako could react, Hibiki pulled a knife out from no where and plunged it deeply into Minako's back, pulling it out to slice it through her flesh again. Minako's eyes widened as she slowly fell to her knees, words, even screams unable to escape from her throat.

"Ahh!" Minako screamed in her sleep, her body thashing on the bed as tears slipped down her cheeks. She had bit her lip so hard that blood started to slip down her chin.

Hibiki's eyes snapped open and he sat up, looking around the room before looking at Minako. "Minako!" he gasped and reached over to place his hand on her shoulder.

Minako screamed again as she pushed herself from Hibiki and fell off the bed to the floor. Her eyes snapped open as she sat straight up and looked around frantically. When her eyes landed on Hibiki, she backed herself into the wall and shook her head as she sobbed. "N-No... n-no... please... I'm not a bad child..." She whimpered, pulling her knees to her chest, tasting her blood on her tongue.

Hibiki's expression turned to confusion and worry as he swung his legs off the bed and placed his elbows on his knee's. "Minako, you're not a child, and neither were you a bad child." Hibiki spoke softly.

Minako shook her head, sobs escaping her throat. "D-Don't stab me!" She screamed, trying to back herself further away.

Hibiki's mouth gapped as he stared at Minako. "Minako, I would never stab you." He reached his arms up to show he was unarmed. Slowly, he stood, circling to show her that there wasn't any possibilities that he could have a weapon. "It was just a bad dream." He whispered, holding his hand gently towards her shaking form.

Minako's body trembled as she looked nervously at Hibiki, tears streaking her face still. "B-But... you killed me.." She whispered, choking on a sob.

He shook his head and offered a soft smile. "Minako, you're alive. Your mind is still trying to understand everything." He whispered, stepping closer.

Minako slowly uncurled herself from the ball and stood up, however she didn't go to hug Hibiki. She wiped at her eyes and lip before sitting on the edge of the bed with her eyes closed. "Why... why would I d-dream that?" She whispered to herself more than to Hibiki.

Hibiki let out a silent sigh and moved to kneel down in front of Minako, lifting her face to meet his. Her eyes were closed, remenants of tears in the corners of her eyes. "What happened?" He asked gently.

Minako squeezed her eyes shut tighter and let out a shaky breath as a few tears slipped from behind her lids. "Y-You... called me down a dark hall f-for a hug... th-then stabbed me in the b-back with a knife a few t-times..." She gritted her teeth. "Wh-Why?" She sobbed, more tears slipping down.

Hibiki bit his lip, moving his hand to rest it on her shoulder. He wanted to pull her into an embrace, but considering how the dream had laid out, he thought better of it. "Minako, would I ever even think about doing such a thing to you?"

She shook her head slowly as she slowly opened her eyes to look down at Hibiki, her eyes red from crying.

Hibiki smiled and used his thumbs to wipe her tears away. "I love you, Minako. You know that." He whispered softly.

Minako smiled softly and searched his eyes before moving off the bed and wrapping her arms around his torso, closing her eyes slowly. She tensed slightly, her mind worrying that she may be stabbed still. Hibiki smiled softly and wrapped his arms tightly around Minako, squeezing her as he kissed the side of her head. "See, Minako? I would never hurt you." He murmured, moving his hand up to the back of her head.

Minako nodded as she relaxed her shoulders and moved to burry her head against Hibiki's shoulder. "I-I know... Hibiki..." She whispered softly.

Yuudai had heard the commotion from the next room over, and after a few lazy minutes, he finally pulled himself out of bed and made his way to the next room. When he opened the room, he saw Minako sitting in Hibiki's lap, who was leaning back against the bed. Minako was held closely by Hibiki, her head resting his shoulder as they both slept. Yuudai rolled his eyes and made his way over to Hibiki, shaking his shoulder gently. His eyes opened and he looked up at Yuudai drowzily. He looked around and nodded, manuevering slightly to pick Minako up before returning her into the bed. Yuudai laughed quietly and moved to the door.

"You woke me, by the way." He whispered.

Hibiki shrugged and walked over to push him out, closing the door before returning to the bed himself. He pulled Minako close as rested his head on hers before he fell asleep again.

Minako slowly woke up and yawned as she carefully moved from the bed and out to the livingroom before sitting on the couch and curling into a ball with her knees drawn to her chest. She slowly turned her eyes to see Yuudai coming from the kitchen.

"You're up early..." Minako murmured to Yuudai with a sigh.

"Only because you and Hibiki woke me up in the middle of the night. I couldn't sleep after that." He murmured and moved to sit beside Minako.

Minako frowned and turned her face away from Yuudai. "I-I'm sorry... that was my fault.." She let out a shaky breath. "I-it wasn't intentional..."

"I know." Yuudai stated, rubbing his eyes.

Minako frowned more as she lowered her head to her knees. "Then stop acting like you're tired.. it makes me feel wrose." She murmured.

"I am, though." Yuudai said and yawned. "But oh well, I'm almost use to it now."

Minako snapped her head in his direction. "Now you're trying to piss me off." She growled.

Yuudai shrugged. "I'm use to that as well." He yawned again.

Minako narrowed her eyes. She was almost tempted to tackle Yuudai - she always had a short tolerance for him. "Keep pushing it, Yuudai, I dare you." She hissed.

Yuudai turned to look at Minako and smirked. "Is Mrs. Pyscho having bad dweams?" Yuudai pouted his bottom lips.

Minako gritted her teeth as hatred flashed through her eyes and she lunched herself at Yuudai. Yuudai smirked as he stared at Minako on top of him, her hand pulled back as to punch him. "Oh, Minako..." He whispered charmingly, pulling the edges of his lips back into a smile.

Minako's hand stopped, inches from Yuudai's nose as her face slowly twisted in confusion. Her hand slowly moved down and helped hold her body above Yuudai's, her arms on either side of him as she searched his eyes. Yuudai laughed softly and reached up to caress Minako's cheek. "You are quite a fiesty one." He murmured.

Minako smiled softly and nodded as she moved her eyes away from his. "Y-Yes..." She whispered.

"Now, Minako..." Yuudai's smirk turned evil. "Tell me, who is the greatest man of all the ages?"

Minako moved her gaze back up to Yuudai's. "Hibiki of course." She giggled. "But you're second." She smiled.

Yuudai nodded and moved pushed a piece of hair out of her eyes. "Now, why don't you do me a favour?" He whispered.

Minako nodded. "Anything, Yuudai." She whispered softly.

"I would really like it if-"

"Yuudai, stop it right now." A stern and angry voice came from the doorway and Yuudai looked up to see Hibiki's glaring eyes.

"If you protect me from your mad boyfriend." Yuudai chuckled.

"Minako, get off him, right now." Hibiki stated, flustered at the two.

Minako shrugged and climbed off of Yuudai, moving towards Hibiki with a smirk. "Sorry, Hibiki, but I'm under orders." She giggled, putting on a defensive stance.

Hibiki narrowed his eyes at Yuudai. "Stop it, Yuudai."

Yuudai shrugged and sat up, crossing his legs. "If I stop, you'll attack me. It's better this way."

"Minako...don't fall to his non-charm." Hibiki said blankly and stepped towards Minako.

Minako shook her head and smirked. "I can't..." She closed her eyes and smiled. "I just can't control it..." She murmured,

"She's quite in love with me at the moment." Yuudai chuckled.

Hibiki narrowed his eyes and stepped closer to Minako, pulling her at ther wrist to bring her into an embrace. "Minako, it's Yuudai." He said plainly.

Minako raised an eyebrow and bent her head back to look at Yuudai. "He's hugging me..." She murmured, half in confusion and half in statement.

"He is." Yuudai nodded. "But whose arms would you rather be in at this current moment?" Yuudai's eyes narrowed in on Minako and he turned to smirk at Hibiki.

Minako pouted. "Yours." She murmured to Yuudai.

Hibiki gritted his teeth, and pulled Minako's face to look at him. "Minako, fight him. He's only charming you."

Minako frowned at Hibiki. "Let go..." She struggled in his hold.

"Minako..." He said sadly and placed his lips on hers, wrapping his arms tightly around her shoulders to prevent her from escaping.

Yuudai narrowed his eyes at Hibiki. "I knew I should've never told you the secrets." He sighed and quickly got to his feet, turning for the exit of the house and quickly leaving.

Hibiki finally pulled back as he looked into Minako's dazed eyes. "I'm going to have to keep a closer eye on you before Yuudai takes advantage of you further." He hissed.

Minako looked at Hibiki in confusion before her eyes widened and anger flashed through them. "That bastard!" She screamed as she turned to run out the door, still in her pajama's.

Hibiki quickly caught her wrist to stop her. "I rather you not leave the house like that." He laughed nervously.

Minako quickly looked over herself. She was wearing very short shorts and a tank top, her hair still messy. She scratched her cheek and laughed nervously. "R-Right..." She smiled softly before running into her and Hibiki's shared room, changing into a black tank top and grey pants that came just a bit below her knee. She didn't bother with her headband or shoulder cloth as she ran back out to Hibiki. "Coming? I'm gonna beat the crap outta that guy!" She smirked.

Hibiki shook his head and stepped in front of Minako. "He's expecting us to come after him." Hibiki murmured. "Let's leave it a while until he goes insane. It'll be worth the wait." He smirked.

Minako sighed but nodded. "I'm sorry... you know I don't like him, at all, right?" SHe murmured.

Hibiki nodded. "I know he can be a real pain, and trust me, I do not like what he just did. I told him you were off limits. You're mine, not for him to charm and make his own." He hissed and pulled her into an embrace, kissing the top of her head.

Minako smiled softly. "I love it when you're protective of me." She whispered into his chest.

* * *

Yuuki sighed with a smile as she looked up into the sky, leaning into Red's side. The two had just returned the day before from a long mission and Yuuki had decided that the pair should take a walk around the village, just the two of them. She smiled softly as she ran her hands through her long white hair. "It's so nice out!" She grinned.

Red agreed with a grunt as he looked around at the people passing by in the opposite direction. Yuuki turned to look at Red with a soft smile. "Did I wake you up too early, Kaito?" She smirked and giggled.

Red shook his head and entwined his fingers with hers. "Nope."

Yuuki blushed faintly as she leaned into Red's side. "You just seem tired." She murmured.

Red sighed. "I'm fine." He smiled softly down at Yuuki. "I got enough sleep that will last me until tonight." He said as he turned the corner and began down the street. The street was less walked which resulted in a sigh from Red.

Yuuki sighed deeply - maybe today wasn't the best day to take Red out of the house. Suddenly, Yuuki noticed an panicked male running up the street towards her and Red. She moved closer to Red as she eyed him carefully.

Red yawned and stretched, casually waving to the male. "Is something the matter?"

The man stopped in front of Yuuki and Red and sucked in a deep breath.

"Hey, you're...Yuudai, am I correct?" Red asked.

The man nodded. "I am..." He gasped.

"You live with...Hibiki Hiroshimo?" Red chuckled.

"Uh...y-yeah."

"And you're in a bit of trouble with him and his girlfriend?" Red's eyebrow lifted as he stared at the man.

Yuudai's eyes widened and he scratched the back of his neck. "How do you know?"

"A little intuition." Red smirked.

"B-but-"

"Have we seen them? Nope." Red stated and wrapped his arm around Yuuki's waist, pulling her closer to his side.

Yuuki giggled and smiled as she leaned closer to Red's side before glacining at Yuudai. "Sorry."

Just as Yuudai was about to reply to Red and Yuuki, he was suddely tackled to the ground by a short pink-haired female.

"Yuudai!" She growled, throwing punches into his gut.

Yuuki's eyes widened as she looked down at the female who was now wailing hits at Yuudai. "Sh-Should we do something?" She murmured to Red, her eyes still locked on the two.

Red shook his head. "If it were you, it'd be the same predicament." Red shrugged.

Shortly after, a green and blue haired male came running over to stand beside the two struggling against each other.

"Hibiki! Help, man!" Yuudai cried out in mercy.

"I told you she was off limits, but you didn't listen; you deserve it." Hibiki said. "It's her you messed with."

Minako let out an eerie laugh as she threw another punch at Yuudai, aiming for his face. Yuuki gasped and bit her lip. "Th-That's... Min-Minako Uma... i-isn't it?" She whispered nervously, her body tensing insantly. She had heard Minako's story many times - it was like a childhood nightmare to her. She always worried she'd turn into someone like Minako.

Red nodded his head. He frowned and turned in front of Yuuki, keeping his back to the others. "You two are different." He stated. "Besides, her past isn't as people tell it, you should be able to understand." He whispered, refering to her new ability that he had taught her not too long ago.

Yuuki lowered her head and nodded. "S-Sorry... f-force of habit I suppose..." She laughed nervously.

He touched her cheek gently and smiled softly before turning back to face the others again. Minako had just gotten up from Yuudai, wiping off her clothes before grinning at Hibiki. "That good, my love?" She smirked.

Hibiki nodded. "You think he's learned his lesson?" He asked. The four of them peered down at the now unconscious male. His eye had formed a quick bruise and blood trickled from his mouth.

"I think he's recieved enough pain for what he had done." Red stated.

Hibiki nodded and turned to look at Red questioningly. "You know what happened?" He quickly studied Red's posture and went over everything he knew of this male, but a few things were foggy about his abilities.

Red nodded. "I guess you can say I sort of do."

Hibiki narrowed his eyes slightly at Red. "Your name is Kaito?"

Red narrowed his eyes back. "Why would you care to know?"

Hibiki shook his head. "Would your father happen to be Taro, one of the close men to the Hokage?" He asked.

Red nodded slowly. His eyes widened slightly when Hibiki gasped and smirked. "I see."

"What?" Red asked cautiously.

Hibiki smiled. "I just understand you now."

Red diverted his eyes and mumbled of his annoyance under his breath. So Hibiki knew now, so what? At least he could look into Hibiki's entire life. When he tried to look into Hibiki's life, he realized it wasn't as easy as he thought. There were barriers placed to some parts of his memory; Red knew that Hibiki couldn't have worked with his brother, so what was it?

Hibiki smirked. "Can't read me as much as you'd wish, huh?"

Yuuki blinked in surpirse as she looked between the two males, feeling the tension rise. She quickly tugged on Red's sleeve and shook her head. Minako stepped to Hibiki's side with her arms over her chest and smirking. "You're Yuuki Reilna."

Yuuki blinked in surprise as she turned to look at Minako as she nodded slowly, however, how did she know?

Minako chuckled softly before smirking again. "I knew your father..." She stated. "He used to visit Suna often and usually visited my father..."

Yuuki's eyes widened as she then narrowed her eyes. Was Minako trying to speak poorly of her beloved father?

Minako chuckled again as she watched Yuuki's expression change. "You're pretty attatched to that guy, aren't cha?"

Yuuki gritted her teeth. "As you are to him."

Minako shrugged. "Duh."

Yuuki and Minako narrowed their eyes on one another, tension now building between them. Minako was more so amused while Yuuki was plain outright angry. Neither of the two had ever been ones to make friends with other females, let alone having friends at all. For both of them, their boyfriends were their first real friends, only differance was Yuuki had a brother while Minako was alone.

Yuuki clenched her fists at Minako as she tried not to reach for the dagger that hung off her right side in it's holder. Minako smirked, accepting to any challenge Yuuki may end up throwing.

Red sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "Alright, clearly there is too much tension between us." Hibiki quickly nodded with agreement. Red reached down to grab Yuuki's clenched fist, forcing her to relax.

Hibiki nodded and glanced at Minako. "We don't need to fight, they're not our enemies."

Minako smirked and shrugged. "They could be."

Yuuki growled and narrowed her eyes at Minako again. "You want to be my enemy?"

Minako shrugged. "I'm in the mood for a fight."

Yuuki smirked. "Bring it."

_Yuuki, I don't want you to fight with this girl. She's dangerous and unpredictable. _Red whispered in Yuuki's mind.

Yuuki sighed deeply and nodded as she moved back to a normal stance. "S-Sorry..."

Minako raised an eyebrow and laughed. "Backing out so easily? I wouldn't kill you... least, I don't believe I would." She smirked.

Yuuki sighed and gritted her teeth. "Don't you have that guy to still take care of?" She asked, gestering towards the still unconsious Yuudai.

Minako turned to glance at him before shrugging. "I can't kill him, so no. I'm done."

"Help me bring him back to the house." Hibiki stated, turning to face Minako.

Minako laughed before glaring at Hibiki. "I ain't touching him!"

Hibiki frowned. "Minako..."

Minako searched Hibiki's eyes before shaking her head. "Can't we do something fun?"

Hibiki sighed and bent down to pick Yuudai up, throwing him over his shoulder uncomfortably. He turned his body to face Yuuki and Red and tipped his head. "I'm sorry for the disturbance." He stated. "It was nice to get to know you a little more." Hibiki lifted his head again and turned to head back for the house.

Minako frowned and sighed before heading after Hibiki when she felt someone grab her wrist. Her eyes widened as she quickly flipped the person's arm around before glaring at them. Yuuki gasped in pain before smirking. "Y-you really are as good as I hear." She winced.

Minako smirked but didn't release Yuuki's wrist. "You doubted me?"

Yuuki shrugged. "I had a question for yah."

Minako shrugged. "Shoot."

"Once you and Hibiki take care of that... friend of yours, want to hang out with Red and I for the day?" She smirked, not looking back at Red.

Minako's brows furrowed. "R-Really?"

Yuuki nodded and smirked. "What you think?"

Minako turned to glance at Hibiki, her hand still holding Yuuk's wrist.

Hibiki was back at Minako's side, Yuudai over his shoulder. "I think it's perfect. She can go with you now." He smiled.

Red's rolled his eyes and laughed lightly at Yuuki's sudden change.

Minako blinked at Hibiki as she released Yuuki's wrist. "I can go now? Where are you going? Just drop that idiot on the sidewalk. He'll wake up sometime." Minako smirked.

Hibiki shook his head. "I'm going to wake this fool and knock him out again myself." He laughed and ruffled Minako's hair before pulling her in for a hug, despite Yuudai's limbs awkwardly dangling off Hibiki. He kissed her head and smiled gently before turning and walking away.

"Guess he'll join us later?" Yuuki smirked.

Minako turned to face Yuuki and nodded. "Hibiki and I don't part for long... it doesn't turn out well..."

Yuuki laughed and looked up at Red. "We can vouche for that, can't we?"

Red shrugged and ran his hand through his hair, moving to stand beside Yuuki and taking her hand in his. "Now that you've added a third party, what would you like to do now?"

Yuuki shrugged. "How long have you lived in the Leaf, Minako?"

"Long enough..." She stated, moving to their side.

"Why not come and do some training with me?" Yuuki smirked.

Minako chuckled and closed her eyes. "If you just want to test my abilites with your own, why not say so?"

"I want to make friends with you." Yuuki giggled.

Minako's eyes widened as she stared wide-eyed at the polar blonde female. "Y-You... what?"

Yuuki smiled and let go of Red's hand to step closer to Minako. "I understand you've never really had friends, but I'm here, offering to be one. What do you say? I'm sure Red, Hibiki, you and myself, could become very close, and possbily even strong together..."

Minako blinked in surprise. "I-I..."

"Minako, I can read into your mind. I understand things about you that you yourself my not even get. I want to help you like Hibiki has... just not quite the same way." She smiled and held out her hand. "Come on, what's the worst that can happen?"

Minako looked over Yuuki closely before nervously taking her hand. Yuuki grinned and pulled Minako close to wrap her arms around her shoulders. "You can start handing trust to others, Minako. If you chose wisely, you'll find it makes life worth living. I was like you... before I met Red, I was a miserable girl who lied to myself..." Yuuki pulled back and smiled again. "Red saved me as you and Hibiki saved one another. We are more alike than you think. Now, I'll admit I want to test your abilites, but I want to keep you as a friend." She laughed. "I'm not usually one for friends either."

Minako blinked a few more times before a slight blush fell over her face. A small smile tugged at her lips as she scratched the back of her neck. "A-A friend, eh? I guess I could give it a try..." She smiled.

Yuuki grinned again and grabbed Minako's wrist. "Then let's head to the training grounds. I'm sure Hibiki will find you there." Yuuki used her other hand to entwine her fingers with Red's as she pulled the two along. On the walk there, Minako had fallen behind a bit from Red and Yuuki as she drifted in thought. Yuuki looked up to Red and grinned. She connected her mind to his so they could talk without Minako hearing.

Admit it, I did good!

She said to him.

It took me off guard. At first you were weary of her, and suddenly you wanted to be friends.

Red chuckled. _I've trained you well, haven't I? Once you get to know people on a deeper basis, they turn out to be someone you wouldn't have suspected. My father was a smart man. _He chuckled again.

Yuuki smiled at Red as she took a quick look at Minako. Her eyes were up at the sky as she watched a few birds looked back ahead and smiled. _Even though neither of us can read into Hibiki, just by watching them, and what you can read from Minako, their love is strong... I'd hate to see them ripped apart. I think it's as strong as ours._ She sighed and looked back ahead.

Red nodded. _He bugs me slightly, I'll have to admit. I wish I could see what was going on in his past, even his thoughts about then are completely hidden. Minako knows a little, but she hasn't lived in his shoes. He's a mysterious man. _He sighed.

Yuuki nodded slightly. _Still, I feel the two of us can connect to those two. You to Hidiki, and me to Minako... but, I can only say you and Hibiki are alike off of what we can read from Minako's knowlage..._

Red nodded. "Hey, Minako, how did you and Hibiki meet?" He asked.

Minako laughed nervously. "He was put on a mission with my squad as we went to kill a man named Koro Tiniko... long story short, we killed the man who... had him under control, and he stole my heart." She murmured, a deep blush forming on her face.

"Had him under control? What do you mean?" Red questioned casually.

Minako blinked in surprise. Was she allowed to explain further? "Um... nothing... it was just complicated for him." She murmured.

Red sighed. "I can relate with him; my brother had me basically under control. Me and a bunch of others."

Minako nodded slowly. "There are many people who are ignorant and can't seem to control the hatred inside of them. I almost ended up like that, if it wasn't for Hibiki..."

Red nodded with understandment. "If it weren't for Yuuki, I would end up that way as well." He turned to smile at Yuuki softly. "My brother was a ruthless man, loved to control anyone he could. his name was Hotaka..." Red murmured. "Hated him to the core."

Why are you trying to get her to spill? We already know, Red?

Yuuki said to him.

Minako's eyes widened slightly. "Y-Your brother... w-was Hotaka?" She stuttered, her eyes now narrowing with hatred.

Red nodded. " was abducted when he was little, but began to live the life of a rogue. He ran this sort of gang and being very strong, many people couldn't fight against him. A lot came to like him and actually began working on his side. A lot of people he had to control with black mailing and murder. I was one of the people he began to control. Hibiki was special though, but I don't quite understand why. Hotaka treated him differently then everyone else, and it makes me sick. I just...don't understand what Hotaka did to Hibiki." Red gritted his teeth and pretended to grimace.

Minako closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. "Th-That man killed his family and forced him onto his ranks... Hibiki was trained basically to death as he grew up... th-that man took everything that mattered to him... he even tried to kill me, and almost suceeded!" She shook her head. "Hibiki was being raised to be the lengendary Koro Tiniko against his will. It took two of my fellow jounin lives in order to kill the man..." She growled.

Yuuki sighed and looked to Red. _You're just making her angry with memories..._

Red glanced at Yuuki and paused in the middle of his step. He turned to face Minako, pulling off a look of complete sorrow. "I'm so sorry he brought so much trouble to you and Hibiki. If I could've killed him, I would've with my bare hands." He clenched his fist and lowered his head. After a few moments he sighed and lifted his face back up. "Minako, can you do me a favour? I need to know what exactly what happened to Hibiki. I know what happened to the others, since we were all in the same boat, but Hibiki was in a completely different situation. I need to understand what was going through my brothers mind to finally understand him. To understand why he turned on us and his village." Red frowned and gritted his teeth, looking away from both Minako and Yuuki.

Yuuki rolled her eyes and hid her smirk from Minako. Minako blinked as she stood straight and looked confused rather than angry. "Y-You're asking me... to bother Hibiki about his past?"

Red continued to look off in the distant before slowly turning to look at Minako. He nodded slowly. "It kills me not knowing. We were close before he left, and suddenly he turned into the biggest jerk. He made our mother hurt, and my father was unbearable." He sighed. "Minako, would you please do this for me? It's been bothering me for years."

Minako looked down and sighed. "B-But... Hibiki's past hurts him... I don't like to bring it up with him..." She murmured.

Yuuki gritted her teeth. _Red, just drop it. So what if you don't know Hibiki? It's not your busniess!_

"I know it must, but he has hurt so many others than just Hibiki." Red murmured sorrowfully.

Yuuki rolled her eyes, she knew Red was just going to continue to ignore her. Minako sighed deeply and nodded. "I-I can try I suppose.."

Red placed his hands on her shoulders and smiled slightly. "I thank you so much, Minako. I know it's unpleasant to dig into the past, but I need to know. And please do not tell him that it's I that would like to know. I doubt he'd want to share things with the brother of a ruthless man like that." Red sighed.

Minako looked up at Red and nodded. "A-Alright..."

Yuuki pushed passed Red and grabbed Minako's arm. "Come on." She smiled, taking a quick moment to glare at Red before heading towards the training grounds again.

You better not mess up their relationship, Red. Or else I'll have to hurt you.

Yuuki smirked.

She'd be innocent in Hibiki's eyes. It would be us who he would feel angst towards.

Red smirked and began to follow the two.


	2. Chapter 2

Once they three reached the training grounds, Yuuki and Minako set out to test their abilities against one another. Red settled on a boulder not too far away, watching with amusement. His plan to unfold the thoughts of the one man he couldn't read brought a smirk to his lips; he couldn't wait until Hibiki arrived. Call it pride, or whatever you wanted, but Red was confused about how Hibiki had had the right barriers settled in his mind. Did he have some sort of connection with Hideki? Or did the man who had Hibiki under his control have some connection with Hideki? So, maybe Red was just overly curious in a nosy sort of way; he couldn't help it.

A while past by of the two woman training when Hibiki finally showed up. Red didn't see him at first until Hibiki was only one hundred yards away. Red turned to look at Hibiki and waved. Hibiki waved back. Once he was at the boulder, Hibiki jumped up to sit beside Red.

"Have fun with that guy?" Red chuckled.

Hibiki glanced at Red. "Knocked some more sense into him. Yuudai passed the line I strictly told him not to. Betrayal." Hibiki narrowed his eyes.

Red nodded. "I understand. If anyone were to do anything to Yuuki, I don't think I could hold back on wrapping my fingers around their neck." Red stated and turned back to watch the two spar. "Minako is pretty good."

Hibiki nodded. "She's come a long way, that's for sure."

Red nodded. "So has Yuuki."

Hibiki chuckled and watched the two spar as well.

Minako smirked as she skidded across the ground. She wipped some blood from the corner of her lips as she panted. "Y-You're a seriously good ninjustu user, Yuuki..." She laughed.

Yuuki stood standing, a good ten feet from Minako. She panted as well as she smiled slightly. "As are you... I just wish I could keep up with you. You're so fast..."

Minako strugged as she moved to a standing position. "I-It's a clan thing... I can't help it." She smiled.

Yuuki giggled before collapssing to her knees, panting more. Minako's eyes widened as she ran to Yuuki, reaching her in only a moment. She bent down in front of her. "Y-You alright, Yuuki?"

Yuuki laughed lightly and nodded. "J-Just tired..." She murmured, closing her eyes.

Red and Hibiki made their way over to the two. Red knelt down beside Yuuki. "You alright?" Red smiled softly.

Yuuki leaned forward to rest her head on Red's shoulder as she nodded. "I-I can't remember the last time I-I trained this hard."

Minako smiled as she stood back up and scratched the back of her neck. "Guess I'll need to whip you back into shape, Reilna!"

Yuuki looked up to Minako and forced a smile. She was proud of herself that she took the step to make Minako her friend.

"First, I think Yuuki needs a break." Red chuckled.

Yuuki laughed and nodded. "Why don't you and Hibiki train?" She smirked up at Red.

Minako laughed. "Good idea!"

Red slowly turned to look at Hibiki. "I don't know about that." Red murmured.

Hibiki laughed. "I'm not so much of a fighter than an analyzer. I already know that Red would pose a challenge."

"Pose a challenge?" Red chuckled. "Too prideful to say I'd win?"

Hibiki chuckled. "Too prideful to assume you'll win?" Hibiki smirked.

Red narrowed his eyes slightly. Hibiki simply shrugged.

Minako sighed as she grabbed Hibiki's arm. "Come on! I've never seen you spar with anyone. Not even me. It would be fun for Yuuki and I to watch." She grinned as she looked from Hibiki to Yuuki who was smirking.

"Come on, I agree with Minako." Yuuki giggled. She looked up at Red. "Please, Kaito." She tried to pull of a pair of puppy dog eyes.

Red glanced at Yuuki and caught her puppy dog gaze. His expression turned blank and he stared at Yuuki. "I know what you're trying to do."

Hibiki scratched the back of his neck and glanced at Red from Minako. "I try not to fight unless I have to kill." Hibiki muttered.

Red sighed and brought Yuuki into his arms. _I want to pry into his past, not figure out his abilities. Plus, I don't want him taking any of my abilities._

Yuuki smirked as she placed a soft kiss at the base of Red's neck. _Please? If not for yourself, then for my own amusement? _

Minako pouted up at Hibiki. "But you should! It's not like we've been on a mission in a long time!"

Hibiki sighed. "I don't know..." He murmurmured quietly.

Red pulled back from Yuuki to look into her eyes before kissing her on the lips. _You can be a real pain sometimes._ He chuckled lightly and turned around. "So, let us begin?" Red asked.

Hibiki's mouth parted slightly and he looked at Red. "You're wanting to?" He asked.

Red shrugged. "Yuuki is pleading with me."

"Eh? She didn't say anything though?" Minako's head tilted slightly as a cute, but confused look covered her face.

Yuuki laughed. "You'll learn a lot, Minako."

Hibiki glanced at Minako and smiled softly. "They're an interesting couple, aren't they?"

Red chuckled. "If that's what you're going to call us."

Hibiki chuckled and turned back to Red. "So then, let us begin?" He mimicked Red's words.

Red smirked. "Let's."

As the two males trained together, Minako had helped Yuuki over to the rock the boys were on previously. Yuuki was still tired and rested her head on Minako's shoulder as they watched. Minako glanced at Yuuki and looked at the jewelery she wore.

"What do these mean?" She asked, pointing to the ring that was on Yuuki's left ring finger, and then the necklace that hung around her neck.

Yuuki laughed softly. "This necklace is a family airloom from Red's family. It was given to me during the first year him and I were together. It was the way their family said that they completely accepted me." She lifted her hand to show Minako the ring. It had the words, "I'll love you with my life." engraved into it. "Red gave me this on my eighteen birthday. He never said it was, but I consider it a promise ring. I know he will marry me one day." She smiled and lowered her hand. "Has Hibiki ever given you anything?"

Minako sighed and dropped her head back to look at the sky before she shut her eyes, letting out another loud sigh. "No. Nothing. Besides him and I moving into his old home, but he brought Yuudai with him."

Yuuki smirked. "I've lived with Red basically since we started going out."

Minako moved her head back to look at Yuuki, her eyebrow twitching slightly. "Clearly Hibiki doesn't love me enough to get me anything..."

Yuuki's eyes widened. "I-I wasn't saying that that was the case! I-I was just saying 'cause you asked..."

Minako shook her head. "Not your fault that Red seems to love you more than Hibiki loves me."

"I-I don't think that's the case, I-I mean, how long have you two been together?" Yuuki stuttered nervously.

"Three years... you?"

"Th-Three years..." Yuuki said nervously.

Minako let out a dramatic sigh. "See? Not as much love..."

Yuuki laughed nervously. "M-Maybe he just hasn't had the time?"

Minako shrugged as she looked back to the boys.

Red smirked as Hibiki and wiped his forehead of the sweat. Hibiki was on one knee, his eyes narrowed. He knew genjutsu ran through the generations of Red's family, but he didn't know too much else about Red himself. Red made a few hands seal and held the seal in front of his stomach. Hibiki raised an eyebrow; throughout the entire training process, Red only used genjutsu and taijutsu... he knew ninjutsu as well? He slowly climbed to his feet and narrowed his eyes at Red. Red just stared back, unfazed. The ground underneath Hibiki shot up and enclosed around him. Hibiki gasped and quickly placed his hands to the probbing walls. They busted apart and flew in the opposite direction. Red narrowed his eyes and shot towards Hibiki. Hibiki quickly ducked Red's fist and slammed his own into Red's chest. A loud boom sounded between the two males and Red shot backwards, landing on the ground on his back.

Hibiki chuckled and watched as Red rolled over onto his front. "You don't do much else, do you?" He asked.

Hibiki chuckled. "You don't know all of what I can do."

Red slowly stood to his feet and turned to face Hibiki. "Then why only use what you are?"

"Some are risky jutsu's, some are techniques not necessarily used in battle, and some are not worth it." Hibiki replied.

"How many techniques can you steal, Hibiki?" Red narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth.

Hibiki's eyes narrowed as well. "That's none of your buisness."

"Clearly you're not at your max." Red stated.

Hibiki shrugged. "I still have some room left for a few more." He smirked.

"Are you planning on taking any of mine?" Red asked.

Hibiki laughed. "Are you worried I will?" When Red didn't reply, Hibiki continued, "Genjutsu is a useful tool, but I've never met anyone as good as you."

Red narrowed his eyes and shook his head. "You're a pathetic excuse for a shinobi."

Hibiki narrowed his eyes. "That's why you can't beat me?"

"I was under the impression I was against a few different people, not Hibiki himself." Red stated.

Hibiki growled and stepped forward, pulling out a kunai. "This is my ability, and it's what has kept me alive."

"Leaning on other people?" Red smirked.

Hibiki shot forward and grabbed Red by the collar, pressin the kunai to his throat before Red could react. Red's eyes widened at Hibiki and he went to say something, but nothing came out. Hibiki stood their, glaring at Red before he sighed in frustration and stepped back, throwing the kunai to the ground in a fury of anger. The kunai hit the ground and stuck straight up.

"You do not know me." Hibiki hissed. He went to continue but instead turned around and ran his hands through his hair as he kicked the ground.

Red smoothed his collar before cautiously looking at Hibiki. He glanced at the two woman watching them with concern before turning back to Hibiki. "I..."

Hibiki spun around and shook his head. "Shut it." He murmured. "I don't care." He hissed and began to walk away towards his house.

Red's face twisted in confusion and he glanced back at the two woman with a loss of words. He shrugged and turned to watch as Hibiki walked off. Minako blinked in confusion as she quickly got to her feet and ran after Hibiki.

"Wh-What's wrong? Where are you going?" She asked, stepping in his path - the girls hadn't heard the converstation.

"I'm going back to the house." Hibiki murmured and tried to step around Minako.

"B-But why?" She asked, grabbing his arms as she kept herself in his path.

Hibiki gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes. "Minako, please move."

Minako's eyes widened slightly before she narrowed her own eyes. "No. Tell me what's wrong."

"Minako!" He shouted angrily before looking back and forth between her eyes. The new expression on Minako's face took Hibiki by surprised and his eyes widened slightly. "I'm sorry, Minako." Hibiki murmured before pulling her into an embrace. "I...just need to blow off some steam."

Minako pushed from his arms and narrowed her eyes. "Fine, then say so instead of yelling at me." She hissed before walking off back towards Yuuki.

Hibiki watched as she stormed away and glanced at Red. Red looked back forth between him and Minako, not knowing what to do. Hibiki grimaced and turned back around, heading away from the group.

Minako had sat back down on the rock before laying on her back with her eyes looking up to the clouds.

"M-Minako...?" Yuuki asked nervously.

"Don't worry about it..." Minako murmured, closing her eyes. "It's not Red's fault either."

"B-But..."

Minako shook her head again. "Hibiki doesn't usually yell at me. I know something is up..." She sighed. "Besides, if he can keep up with my mood swings, I should be able to handle his rare ones..." She murmured.

Yuuki sighed and looked at Red with pursed lips. _What did you say to Hibiki, Kaito?_

I guess I struck a chord with him?

Red scratched the back of his neck and glanced back at Hibiki.

_See, this wouldn't have happened if I could read him from the start!_

Yuuki sighed. _You're lucky things are fine between him and Minako, or else I would tackle you..._

Red sighed. _I know you still want to tackle me, Yuuki._

She smirked and nodded. _Of course I do. But I'm not mad at you, Red, honest I'm not. I just hope Hibiki is okay..._

Red walked over and knelt down in front of Minako. "Next time you see him, can you apologize for me?"

Minako slowly opened her eyes to look at Red. She smirked and nodded. "Sure." She sighed as she finally sat up. "We should hang out tomorrow." She stated as she looked from Red to Yuuki.

Yuuki smiled and nodded. "I'm up for it."

"I'm unsure if Hibiki will..." Minako murmured. "But I'll try." She laughed as she stood up, looking at Red. "Don't let Yuuki walk on her own, she's too weak from me beating her." She smirked.

Yuuki laughed. "I'm not that tired anymore..."

Red shrugged and walked over to pull Yuuki up onto his back. "I won't." He winked at Minako.

Minako smiled at the pair before running off.

"Damn that girl is fast..." Yuuki laughed.

Red chuckled. "That's okay, I still think you're more beautiful."

Yuuki rolled her eyes and blushed as she kissed his cheek.


	3. Chapter 3

Minako reached home in a short time period. She first found Yuudai in the living and smirked as she ran passed him - he looked like crap and was looking up at the roof with no emotion. Minako quickly followed Hibiki's scent out into the field behind the house where she found him laying in the grass with his eyes locked on the sky and his limbs spread out with a blank expression on his face. She slowly moved closer but stopped a foot away.

"H-Hibiki?" She murmured cautiously.

"Hm?" He continued to stare at the sky.

"A-Are you... okay now... or do you want me to go inside?" She murmured, keeping her eyes off of him.

He sighed and finally pried his eyes from the sky to look at Minako. "I'm sorry, Minako. I shouldn't have yelled at you."

Minako shrugged as she closed her eyes. "You put up with my insanity and mood swings..."

"You're not insane." Hibiki stated and sighed before sitting up. "And that gives you no reason to put up with what I did. You deserved better than that."

Minako shrugged again, her eyes still closed as she remained where she stood. "It doesn't matter... I just wanted to make sure you're okay... I can head back inside if you need more time alone..." She murmured, turning to leave back inside.

Hibiki ran his hands through his hair and lowered his head. "No, I think I was able to get most of my anger out by now."

Minako stopped walking and turned back to glance at Hibiki. She sighed and moved across the field and moved to sit down in front of Hibiki. She looked down as she grabbed his hands and entwined her fingers with his. "H-Hibiki... may I ask you something... personal?" She muttered, closing her eyes.

Hibiki's face twisted in confusion. "W-what?" He asked as he glanced at their hands.

"Wh-What was it really like when you were being raised by Hotaka?" She murmured, lowering her head further as she bit her lip.

Hibiki's head tilted slightly as he stared at Minako. "I...w-why are you asking?"

Minako shrugged."W-We've been together for three years... is it wrong that I want to know more about your life? As I've said in the past... you know all about mine, but I know very little of yours..." She murmured, biting her lip harder - she felt bad asking these questions, honestly she didn't want to pry because she knew it upset him, but if Hotaka was Red's brother, than it'd be better if she could help him and his family.

"I..." Hibiki paused and looked away for a second. He turned back and lifted Minako's chin, kissing her softly. "I didn't know it bothered you." He whispered and sighed. "It's just...nothing Hotaka did was right." His words stopped and he searched her eyes before sighing again. "I lost all sense of myself when my parents died." He whispered.

Minako frowned and closed her eyes again as she gritted her teeth. "S-So... what did he do to you... I mean, how did he discover your abilites to begin with?" She murmured, clenching her jaw, angry at herself for questioning Hibiki of anything.

Hibiki shook his head. "That's the thing, he didn't discover my abilities." He whispered and lowered his head. "I've told you that I didn't take my parents training seriously. My family had a special ability, but I was too lazy to try to understand or master it, and all knowledge of what very little I had learned faded over the years while I was with Hotaka." He scoffed. "After a while he sent me to spend time with a friend of his, and if his friend couldn't figure out what fits with me, Hotaka was going to kill me."

Minako sighed. "S-So... once they found out... Hotaka took a speical intrest in you... does that mean you were treated better or worse than the others that were stuck under him?" She murmured.

Hibiki gritted his teeth. "I don't know what you'd call it." He murmured.

Minako sighed and leaned forward to rest her head on his shoulder. "I-I'm sorry.." She muttered, gritting her teeth as she tightened her hold on his hands.

Hibiki moved his arms to wrap around her and her pulled her closer and shook his head. "I would say worse, but others would argue. They would call me his child, since Hotaka treated me as if I were indeed a son. A warped father, that's what Hotaka was. He...made me do things I knew wrong. It was his intentions from the beginning in order to create someone completely under his control; to make me lose all sense of myself." He pulled back and placed his hands on either side of Minako's face and he frowned. "The only sense that keeps me sane today is you." He whispered.

Tears formed in Minako's eyes as she closed them and bit her lip. "I-I'm sorry..." She whispered again, tears slipping down her cheeks.

Hibiki shook his head and wipped her eyes. "Don't cry." He murmured and kissed her cheek.

Minako let out a deep breath to calm herself as she sighed. There was a few moment of silence before she opened her eyes to look back at Hibiki, a small smirk tugging at her lips. "Can I ask one more thing?"

Hibiki shrugged. "Might as well." He chuckled lightly.

Minako smirked before her expression turned blank. "If you love me so much, why is it you've never given me anything like a present?" She asked, her voice mono-tone.

His face twisted in confusion and he stared at her for a few seconds with a loss of words. "W-what?"

"Yuuki and Red have been together as long as you and I and she has a family airloom and a promise ring..." She stated, her expression still blank.

His mouth parted slightly and he stared a few seconds more. "I...g-guess I never really thought you wanted anything like that?" He said slowly, still confused with the sudden questioned.

Minako crossed her arms over her chest and looked at the ground with a pout. "Well I do." She muttered.

"I'm sorry, I didn't really dwell much on such a matter." He murmured before bringing her into another hug.

Minako sighed and closed her eyes as she rested in his arms. "Maybe you should." She smirked.

Hibiki shrugged. "I'm not much of a jweller type of guy, but if you want something, I guess I could see what there is."

Minako sighed and pulled from his arms, shaking her head. "I don't want you to get something 'cause you feel like you have to." She shrugged. "Don't bother, I'm just being a pain." She stated.

Hibiki shook his head and rubbed her cheek with his thumb lightly. "Thinking about gifts doesn't really come naturally to me, but I know you deserve something special." He shrugged and looked away for a few seconds before turning back. "Are you jealous of Yuuki?"

Minako's face turned red as she lowered her head in an attempt to hide her face with her hair. "N-No... w-well.. I-I dunno... sh-she just...um... I-I dunno." She stuttered. Honestly she knew she was - she felt like her and Red had a stronger relationship than her and Hibiki did, but she refused to admit that to Hibiki.

Hibiki frowned and lifted her face to look at him. "I love you so much, Minako, more than I can portray. You know that, right?" He murmured as his thumb traced over he bottom lip and he leaned in to kiss her gently.

Minako closed her eyes and sighed as she nodded slightly. She pulled back and lowered her head again. "I-I do know that..." She muttered. "M-Maybe it's me..." She whispered to herself. She lifted her head slowly to look back into his eyes. "Maybe I-I just don't show how much I love you..." She murmured.

Hibiki sighed. "I know you love me, Minako. You show it to me everyday." He whispered.

Minako closed her eyes again and sighed. "Th-Then why do I feel like something is missing between us?" She muttered.

"Our relationship isn't like others; please don't compare ours to anyone elses." He whispered and pulled her closer into his arms. "Is there anything you like or dislike, want or don't want me to do? If there is, please let me know." He pulled back and forced a small smile. "All I want is to make you happy."

Minako blinked a few times before shaking her head. "There's nothing wrong with how you treat me Hibiki. You do everything correctly... I-I feel like I'm a burden to you sometimes... if anyone is the problem it's me. Isn't there things you wish me to do or not do?" She murmured, searching his eyes.

"I wish you'd stop calling yourself a burden or problem." He frowned. "I do not love a burden of problem; I love a beautiful woman who liberated me."

Minako searched his eyes before closing her own. "That's it? You just want me to stop putting myself down?"

Hibiki nodded and kissed her cheek. "What will it take for me to make you understand you're everything but a burden or problem?" He murmured as he kissed along her jaw to her mouth. He pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her shoulders as he continued to kiss her.

Minako shivered under his touch and kisses as she smiled slightly. "M-Maybe if you kiss me more like this." She murmured with a smirk as she glanced at him.

Hibiki reached up to stroke her hair. "That's it?" He whispered between kisses.

A soft moan left her lips as she nodded. "Sure."

"I love you." He whispered and held her tightly.

Minako smiled as she kissed his neck before burrying her face in his shoulder. "I love you too." After a few moments of silence, she let out a nervous laugh. "H-Hibiki... I-I agreed to hang with Yuuki and Red tomorrow... w-will you be coming with me or no?"

Hibiki sighed. "I...don't know."

Minako pulled back to look at Hibiki. "What did Red say to you to make you run off?" She murmured.

Hibiki sighed and shook his head. "It's childish."

Minako frowned. "S-So then you don't have to think on it. You just wont come with me..." She muttered.

"Will that make you upset?" He whispered and kissed her cheek.

Minako sighed and shook her head. "No... I understand." She murmured. "But, Yuuki does want to hang out with me..." She murmured.

Hibiki nodded. "I'll think about it over night, but it's fine if you go." He chuckled. "Don't let me hold you back from making friends. Besides, that Yuuki girl seems to be quite interested in you."

Minako blushed faintly and nodded. "Sh-She and I are very alike... at least she says we are..." Minako murmured. "I-I enjoyed sparring with her too." Minako blushed more.

Hibiki chuckled and smiled softly. "You're very cute." He whispered. "But I'm glad that you're opening up to someone."

Minako's face heated up more as she looked up at Hibiki, searching his eyes. "I-I am too." She whispered, smiling slightly. Minako chuckled as she thought about earlier. "S-So what did you do to Yuudai when you came back here? He looks... dazed, in the livingroom." She smirked.

Hibiki chuckled. "Something I hope to never show you." He smirked.

Minako blinked in confusion. "Eh? A jutsu I've never seen or something? I-I thought I already beat him up enough?"

Hibiki nodded. "You did." He smiled and laughed. "And yes, a jutsu that I haven't had to use very much. I was thinking on getting rid of it, but I'm glad I hadn't."

Minako tilted her head slightly and pursed her lips. "What did you do, Hibiki?"

Hibiki smirked and placed his hand on her hip while he pushed his lips to hers. "This." He smirked and pushed his fingertips into her side.

Minako gasped and her eyes widened. Even though Hibiki used the technique in the smallest dose possible, Minako could feel her body beginning to tense. Her heartbeat began to speed up and she could feel her pulse in every point of her body. Minako's eyes remained widened but she couldn't speak. Hibiki smirked subtly as he dragged his fingertips up her side until he reached her ribs. Another current passed through his fingers into her body and she gasped again as she gripped his sleeve.

"H-Hibiki!" She forced his name out quietly as her breathing came out heavy as if she was running a marathon, and faster than what she herself could do.

Hibiki chuckled lightly and brought his lips to hers. The current ran from her lips to his and he shut his eyes tightly. His heart began to race and and he began to feel his own pulse in every point of his own body. He pulled back and his pulse began to settle, his heart slowly settling as well. Minako had weakly reached for his hand to pull away when a large current passed through his fingers and shot through her body. She sucked in a large breath before tackling Hibiki to the ground.

Hibiki laughed slightly at her widened eyes. He could feel her pulse through her hands on his arms. After taking in a few more breaths she leaned down and forced her lips to his. Hibiki closed his eyes and allowed her to kiss him. She pulled away for a breath and stared down at Hibiki with confusion.

Hibiki chuckled and sat up before kissing her quickly. "It's slightly different than Yuudai's condition, obviously, but it'll do." He smirked.

"W-what?" Minako breathed as she leaned forward for another kiss but stopped.

Hibiki smirked and pushed her back onto her back. "Uma, Minako, I sentence you to a few hours of insanity." He whispered and kissed her quickly on the lips again. She tried to keep her lips to his but he pulled back too far. Hibiki smirked. "By the end, our relationship will be stronger as you want." He stood up and turned to head back towards the house. "See you later." He smirked and glanced back to wink.


	4. Chapter 4

Minako laid in the grass, her eyes on the sky. Her eyes were wide as she tried to process everything that had just happened. Her body felt odd, like as if she had no control over it anymore. Her eye twitched slightly as she watched dark storm clouds start to roll in, covering over the bright sunny sky. Minako closed her eyes as rain began to fall. She stayed still in deep thought as the rain quickly soaked her. She always had Hibiki in her thoughts, but now it was x10. She thought about them as a couple, how they looked together, how Hibiki treated her, and how she treated him. Her eyes opened again as she let the rain fall into her eyes. She then closed her eyes again as she thought even more.

Suddenly she gritted her teeth and rolled onto her side as she held onto her side, suddenly acheing in pain. She tried to think of possibilites and only had one. When she was young, her father had once inflicted a wound so bad she almost died from blood loss. She had stayed in the hospital for months with stitches all along the right side of her body. Now that she was older, whenever it was thunder storming, it ached so bad she couldn't even move. She bit her lip as a strangled scream left her throat. A bolt of lightning lit the sky as a crash of thunder filled her ears. She knew as soon as Hibiki realized the weather, he'd know she was in pain, that is it he hadn't already heard her scream.

Hibiki was inside the house in the kitchen grabbing something for a quick snack. He strolled into the livingroom and sat down on the back of the couch, looking down at Yuudai lying on the couch with a blank expression.

"How is Yuudai in these wee hours?" Hibiki asked casually.

Yuudai waited a few seconds before turning to look at Hibiki. "I feel so disgusted I want to kill myself."

Hibiki raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? But that's quite harsh."

Yuudai gritted his teeth. "Everytime I think of myself I hate me more. I just can't move myself. I...am so filled with hatred I want to smash my face in."

"Oh?" Hibiki continued to stare at Yuudai. The technique that Hibiki had used on both Yuudai and Minako involved controlling the person with a certain feeling, whether the person knew the feeling or not. For Minako, Hibiki used an ovewhelming feeling of love in Minako that drove her mad with love. For Yuudai, he used an overwhelming feel of hatred that left Yuudai hating himself more and more for what he had done with charming Minako. The point of the technique was to control the person in such a way that drew information for someone; it was useful in aiding Hibiki in his years of being a spy, but after being freed from Hotaka, he considered on discarding it since he barely used it. Instead, he decided to use it on Yuudai since after the technique, it left a certain after taste to the person that continued to effect them. For Yuudai, it would be a last feeling of hatred towards himself whenever he thought of Minako in anyway that would upset Hibiki. For Minako, her love for him would grow stronger and each time she thought of Hibiki with love, her pulse would quicken and her desire to be with him would be stronger than anything else running through her mind.

A loud crash of thunder brought Hibiki's attention back towards the back door. He could hear the rain on the roof of the house and he moved to the back window, peering out to find Minako still laying in the grass, holding her side.

"Maybe if I stand outside I'll be struck by lightning." Yuudai said in a monotone voice.

Hibiki rolled his eyes. As much as Yuudai felt the urge to kill himself, he wouldn't be able to bring himself to actually do so; Hibiki still had control over the technique. He made his way to the door and pulled it open. He made his way to Minako and bent to pick her up. "Think of something else." He whispered into her ear as he made his way back to the door. He opened it up and walked in, closing it behind him and carrying Minako to their room. He placed her on the chair before gathering some dry clothes. "Put these on before you get sick." He murmured and stepped from the room.

Minako weakly, but quickly changed into the dry clothes before curling up under the covers on their bed. She closed her eyes as her mind drifted in thought of Hibiki - she suddenly really wanted him to come back into the bedroom. A few minutes later, Hibiki did just that. A light rap at the door before he stepped in with a towel in his hands and crossed the room to the bed. He sat on the edge of the bed and pulled Minako gently up into a sitting position as he began to squeeze the water from her hair with the towel. She smiled softly. "Th-Thank you." She choked out as she searched his eyes, unsure as to why she had this feeling of throwing herself at Hibiki - it was taking most of her self -control to keep herself from doing just that.

Hibiki nodded before he leaned forward to kiss her quickly. "Remember, try not to think of the pain." He whispered and stood up, heading back towards the bedroom door.

Minako reached for his wrist and pulled him back towards the bed. "Wh-Where are you going?" She murmured, her face heating up slightly.

"I was going to leave you to take a nap." He said, raising an eyebrow, supressing his smirk.

Minako shook her head and pulled Hibiki back down onto the bed. "D-Don't leave... I-I don't want you to go yet..." She murmured, moving closer to Hibiki, wrapping her arms around his neck as she searched his eyes, only question she had, was why was she wanting Hibiki so bad right then?

"How come?" Hibiki asked simply.

Minako shook her head, she didn't know, all she knew was that she didn't want him to leave. "J-Just don't..." She whispered, pressing her lips to his.

Hibiki smirked and pulled back, keeping their gaze held. "I have to return the towel to the bathroom, Minako."

She shook her head. "Why? D-Do you not w-want to stay?" She murmured, tightening her grip on Hibiki as she blushed and turned her face away.

"Why do you want me to stay so badly?" He asked and touched her side gently where he knew the pain resided. "Shouldn't you rest?"

Minako looked at her side before looking into his eyes and shook her head. "I never really sleep anyway..." She murmured. "I-I just want you to stay..." She whispered, slowly pushing him down onto his back. "P-Please?" She whispered, blushing more.

Hibiki caught himself with his elbow on the bed and placed his hand to Minako's cheek. He pressed his lips to hers quickly and pushed her back. "Minako, this is quite unlike you." He stated.

Her face turned redder as she bit her lip. "Y-Yeah, so? D-Do you not like it?" She murmured, turning her gaze from him as some of her damp hair fell in front of her eyes.

"It must wait, my love." He murmured and rubbed her cheek gently and laughed lightly. "You may feel as if something in our reltionship is missing, but this is not what fills the hole." He whispered.

Minako's face twisted in confusion as she slowly got off of Hibiki to sit up against the pillows on the bed. "I-I don't... get it..." She murmured as she looked at Hibiki through the damp hair covering her eyes.

Hibiki smiled and sat up, moving her hair from her eyes. "Don't get what?" He laughed softly.

"E-Everything right now..." She muttered. "Wh-What have you done to me?" She whispered.

Hibiki chuckled and leaned forward, stopping inches from her face. "I intensified your love for me to the point where it's driving you mad." He smirked and pulled back again as he stood up, stretching his arms above his head as he looked out the window at the pouring rain.

Minako's eye twitched as she continued to look straight where Hibiki was sitting. Thinking of Hibiki in anyway, thinking of his eye appearance, things he has or had ever said to her, how they met, what he wore that day, his scent, how he treated her, just any thoughts of his involvment in her life made her feel weird. She felt lighter than air yet as heavy as gravity at the same time. She continued to have this feeling like she had to throw herself at him. It was different from what Yuudai had done to her earlier that day, what Hibiki was doing was cruel. He was purposely pushing her away to make her want him more. Her eye twitched again before her eyes fell shut. Even if Hibiki had not increased the love she felt towards him, she still always wondered one thing. Why would her unstable mind stablize enough to allow Minako to fall in love with Hibiki Hiroshimo, a man who, at the time, she had never met in her life. She shook her head and smirked.

"Damn you, Hibiki." She chuckled, running her hand through her hair.

Hibiki chuckled and turned, heading back to the door once again. "I _love_ you." He smirked.

She shook her head and laughed again. "I _love_ you too, Hibiki Hiroshimo."

Hibiki glanced back over his shoulder before he left. He returned the towel to the washroom before heading back out to the kitchen. Yuudai was still laying on the couch, staring up at the ceiling. Hibiki walked over and pushed his legs back before sitting down. He continued to mutter a bunch of things to himself under his breath and Hibiki closed his eyes and tipped his head back. If Minako was already so far in her desire of him already, he wondered how she would end off at the end. He rested his arm against his forehead and tuned Yuudai's blubbering out

By the time the jutsu on Minako wore off it was six o'clock at night. She got up to have a shower before looking over herself in the mirror. She sighed before smirking. She made her way through the house and to the living room. She saw Yuudai still on the couch, looking depressed. Minako smirked and moved to kneel in front of him. "Guess you regret what you did, eh?" She smirked, poking his cheek where a bruise had formed from her punches she had inflicted on him earlier that day.

Yuudai turned his face to look at Minako before turning over. "Please, don't touch me." He stated quietly.

She smirked and laughed before standing. "Whatever Hibiki did to you, has made me so happy." She smirked before walking around the couch towards the kitchen where she could smell food cooking. Minako spotted Hibiki with his back to her as he stood in front of the stove, stirring a pot of something. She moved silently towards him before resting her back against his, her eyes closed and her arms across her chest with a smirk playing at her lips. "Do things always work as you want them to, love?" She chuckled.

Hibiki smirked as he dropped a pinch of salt into the pot of beef broth, rice, and a variety of vegetables. "It's rare they don't." He replied with a chuckle.

Minako shook her head and chuckled more. "So, then you're already assuming your plan worked on me?" She smirked, opening her eyes to look at the floor.

"It worked all the other times I've tried it. Although, I've never used the overwhelming feeling of love before." He closed his eyes partly. "How do you feel?"

Minako smirked and chuckled. "I can't explain it." She shook her head and moved from leaning against Hibiki's back to sit at the table in the kitchen. She chuckled again as she looked over at Hibiki. "But I'm definately mad that you kept rejecting me." She smirked.

Hibiki chuckled. "The point is to keep the one thing the person wants away from them as much as possible. Take Yuudai as an example. He wants death, but if death doesn't come, by the time the technique ends, everytime Yuudai thinks of you in anyway that I wouldn't like, it'll have an affliation of death. Never again will he try to charm you, steal subtle glances, touch you afflectionately, etc. For you," Hibiki placed the spoon on the counter and turned to look at Minako. "Everytime you look at me, your heart will flutter; everytime you speak with me, you will be more in-tuned; every touch, your pulse will quicken; and every kiss will make you weak in the knee's." He smirked, as he eyed Minako with amusement.

Minako shook her head and laughed. "And you call that fair?" She sighed and smirked again. "Seems on top of that, me as a whole feels different... better, even." She chuckled. "Still, unfair... what does that leave me for an affect to you? Nothing. I'm still plain old Minako. I do not make your pulse race, your heart flutter... I don't think I could even make you weak in the knees unless I _really_ try." She smirked. "So, I call all of that unfair."

Hibiki glanced back at the pot before crossing the room to Minako. He knelt down in front of her and entwined his fingers in her hair. "You're beautiful, and it makes me happy to know that such a beautiful woman is only mine; your lips are so soft, and everytime we kiss, I don't want to part; your frame fits so perfectly in my arms, it makes me feel as if I can protect you against anything; everytime you blush, it makes me smile knowing just how much I can effect you; it especially makes me excited knowing you're making an effort to get to know Yuuki." He shrugged slightly and moved his hand to her shoulder and he looked up into her eyes. "You're a woman, and woman react differently to different things. I'm a man, and it's the same thing. You effect me in different ways, and vice versa. A woman reacts more to emotions and feelings, while men react more to the visual." He pushed himself up to press his lips against hers before he pulled away and returned to his place by the stove, stirring the contents of the pot once again.

Minako smirked and laughed before standing back up and moving to lean against the wall beside the stove, her arms over her chest as she looked up at Hibiki. "So here's a question for yah, with all these feelings you have towards me, and all the feelings I have toward you, are we going to ever take it further?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at him with a slight smirk.

Hibiki glanced over at Minako before looking back at the stove. "I have already been thinking about it for a very long time." He smiled and turned to look at Minako again.

Her eyes widened in shock. "Y-You have?" She stuttered, taken aback as she stared at him.

Hibiki shrugged and chuckled. "If there is one thing I want to do right for once in my life, it's this. I've never loved anyone in my entire life until I met you, and you're the one I want to spend the rest of my life with."

Minako's eyes widened more as she grew speechless. Bringing it up as she did, was more of a joke. Never in her life, even after dating Hibiki, something like marriage or even children never crossed her mind. As far as she was concerned, she would be an unfit mother and a horrible wife. What she feared most was that if she did have a child, what if she died and left her child and husband alone, like her mother had done to her. Whatever Hibiki had done to change Minako's feelings, had changed them greatly. Before that jutsu, she had never considered being anything more then Hibiki's girlfriend.

"Was that not what you had in mind?" He asked as his left brow slowly rose.

Minako scratched the back of her head nervously. "W-Well... i-it was... b-but before I wasn't... and then you used the jutsu... i-it just occured to me that I've never thought that my whole life... u-until now.." She murmured with a nervous laugh.

Hibiki chuckled and stepped closer, pulling her closer to his side. "You'd have no excuse after that; you'd be mine fully, completely." He chuckled and kissed her cheek gently.

Minako smirked as she looked up at Hibiki. "Is that really what you want though?" She chuckled. "To marry the woman once dubbed "The Village Psycho"?" She giggled.

Hibiki sighed and rolled his eyes. "Yes." He whispered and kissed the skin below her ear. " Besides, the Village Psycho and Koro Tiniko are a perfect match, do you not agree?" He whispered into her ear.

Minako blushed and laughed. "Yes, it appears that they are." She wrapped her arms around Hibiki as she closed her eyes. "Though... I don't know if I could ever imagine myself as Hiroshimo Minako, and not Uma Minako..." She giggled softly.

Hibiki laughed softly. "I hope that wouldn't be a determining factor." he chuckled and turned back to the pot, turning the stove off and placing the top over the pot to let it sit.

Minako laughed and shook her head. "Of course not. I just think it'd be odd, do you not agree?" She asked, raising an eyebrow to him.

Hibiki shrugged. "My mind drifts more to the fact that you'd officially be mine." He glanced at Minako.

Minako blushed and laughed. "Yeah." She sighed and moved back towards the exit of the kitchen. "Call me when dinners ready." She smiled before walking out to bother Yuudai.

The following day Minako was shocked to find that she woke up, dreamless. She sat up normally and rubbed her eyes as she glanced down at Hibiki who was still peacefully sleeping. She quickly pondered on if the reality was actually a dream, but it seemed pinching her arm did nothing. She smiled softly as she took a moment to look out the window. Waking up like a normal person made things feel better, but why was she suddenly waking up like a normal person? She had never woken up normally since she was five. She shrugged and leaned closer to Hibiki. She pushed some hair from his eyes before placing a soft kiss on his cheek. "Hibiki, wake up." She murmured with a smile - she was curious if he'd be as confused as she was that she was up before him, at a decent hour, and hadn't screamed and cried to wake from her slumber.

Hibiki's eyes shot open and he looked up at Minako. "Are you alright?" He asked and sat up, caressing her cheek gently.

Minako laughed and smirked. "You think something is wrong?" She shook her head. "Do I look like I've been crying?"

His brow rose as he searched her eyes. He had managed to sleep the entire night without waking to any screaming, or crying. No tear streaks were found dangling from her eyes and she seemed comfortable. He smiled softly and shook his head. "I didn't think the technique would effect you further then those intial few things." Hibiki murmured.

Her eyes widened slightly before she laughed. "A-Are you saying that that's why I could sleep? Because of that technique you used?" She smiled at him.

"Well, I surely find it ironic the first time I use it on you and you sleep perfectly." He leaned forward and smirked. "Obviously no nightmare, so, did you have any dreams?" He asked.

She shook her head. "I don't remember dreaming at all."

Hibiki shrugged. "I'm just glad you slept well tonight." He smiled softly. His fingers dragged along her skin, down her cheek and shoulder to her arm. His hand reached hers and he lifted it to kiss the top of it. "I'm glad."

Minako blushed and smiled as she leaned forward to kiss him, but just before their lips touched she placed a finger between their lips. She smirked and pulled back. "Please, Hibiki, come with me when I go to see Yuuki and Red." She whispered lowering her hands to rest over his.

His brow raised as he glanced at her lips. "I can't promise anything." He frowned. "But I guess I will."

Minako smiled and smirked. "Are you confused by my actions?" She laughed as she tried to pull of an innocent look.

Hibiki chuckled. "I'm just surprised at how much self-control you have after the jutsu ended." He shrugged and smirked.

Minako smirked and shrugged. "Maybe you don't know me as well as you believed, my love.I admit I still have all those ... things you had mentioned, but it doesn't mean I cannot control myself to still be able to tease you a little." She giggled.

"Tease me?" He smirked.

Minako nodded. "Why, did I fail just now? I can try again." She smirked.

Hibiki laughed lightly. "I don't think that's necessary."

Minako smirked. "You sure? I could..." She stated, pushing some hair from her eyes.

Hibiki laughed again and shook his head. "Trying to act cute?"

Minako shook her head as she looked up at Hibiki with puppy dog eyes. "Of course not. Why would I do such a thing? It gains me nothing." She mumured softly, holding back a smirk.

"Sorry, but it doesn't work." He smiled and kissed the edge of her jaw. His lips moved to her lips before he pulled back and stood up, stretching his arms far above his head.

Minako smirked before standing up on the bed and quickly jumping onto Hibiki's back. "You teased me enough yesterday..." She whispered into his ear, before kissing the skin below it. "Today will be my turn." She whispered again with a smirk.

Hibiki gasped at the sudden attack and shook his head. "Now that is unfair." He murmured.

She smirked. "How so?"

"You have me pinned in a sense, and I don't want to hurt you." He sighed.

Minako laughed. "So in other words, poor Hibiki is asking me to get off of his back?" She asked, moving her face into his view as she pretended to pout. "But I feel tall for once..."

Hibiki shrugged and made his way to the door. He walked down the hall and walked to the bathroom, moving quickly to the shower and jumping in and turning on the freezing cold water.

Minako gasped and quickly jumped off his back, her hair and clothes now soaking wet. "Okay, that was just cruel." She murmured, glaring up at him.

He turned off the water and leaned back against the wall at the back of the bathtub. His sweats were slightly wet and his shirt slightly wetter. Minako had recieved the blunt of it. He smirked. "Bad kitty." He chuckled and climbed from the tub, heading back to the room.

Minako grabbed his wrist before he leaved the room and pushed him up against the wall. She smirked before grabbing the collar of his shirt and forcing their lips together in a slightly rough kiss. She couldn't stop herself anymore. As Hibiki had said, the technique he had used on her increased all her senses and feelings towards him. Her pulse raced as she kissed him, her heart pounding in her chest, and her knee's felt weak, like she had to lean against him or else she would fall. She loved this man more than she even realized by her own mind.

Hibiki grabbed both of her wrists and turned to pin her against the walls, his breath heavy as he looked into her eyes. "M...Minako..." he breathed as he looked into her eyes. His forehead rested against hers as he could hear her breathing coming out roughly. She struggled against his hold as she reached for his lips. He shook his head and kissed her quickly. "There goes that self-control." He chuckled.

Minako blushed and lowered her head slightly. "I-I blame you..." She whispered.

Hibiki laughed and kissed her cheek. "I know, and I'm not complaining." He whispered and breathed out slowly. He slowly let her wrists go and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, kissing the top of her head.

Minako smiled softly. "I-I will get you back for soaking me you know..." She murmured, pulling from his arms. "But right now, I'm going to meet up with Yuuki and Red, and if you are still going to come with me, you should get ready." She smirked, running her hand down Hibiki's chest.

Hibiki nodded. "I don't think wet pajama's would be the best attire either." He chuckled before leaving for the bedroom once again.


	5. Chapter 5

Yuuki yawned as she sat up in bed. She climbed out of bed but collapssed to the floor. She was shocked to find that her muscles still hurt from the training with Minako the following day. She weakly moved to a sitting position before reaching up open the door and crawl out the door towards the bathroom.

Red set his toothbrush back into it's holder and and smiled at the mirror. He pulled the door open and stepped out, turning to head down the hall when he spotted Yuuki. A gasp left his lips as he stared with confusion at Yuuki on her hands and knee's. "Y-Yuuki?" He asked.

Yuuki lifted her head to smile tiredly at Red before flopping over onto her side. "I regret training..." She laughed slightly. "I hurt..."

Red made his way quickly to Yuuki's side and bent down. "You should rest for today." Red frowned and slipped his arms under Yuuki to lift her up.

Yuuki shook her head and moved from his arms to stand again. "Nah, I'll be fine once I wake up a bit... crawling on the floor was more so laziness than pain." She laughed nervously as she used Red's sleeve as her grip to keep balance. "Besides, I promised to hang with Minako, and you need to apologize to Hibiki still." She smirked.

Red sighed and helped Yuuki to the washroom. "Be careful, please."

Yuuki smirked. "I'm fine." She stated before closing the door.

* * *

When Yuuki had finished getting ready, her and Red headed towards the training grounds. They had seen Minako and Hibiki already waiting. Despite how much Yuuki's muscles hurt, she smiled at Minako and gave her a hug when they had reached one another.

Minako smiled as she looked from Yuuki to Red. A surprised expression covered her face before she laughed nervously. "I-I just remembered that I forgot to tell Hibiki you told me to tell you that you apologize for yesterday..." She smirked, looking from Red to Hibiki.

Red sighed and shook his head. "That's fine." He turned to look at Hibiki. "But I do apologize."

Hibiki shrugged and scratched the back of his neck and he glanced at Minako. "She can atone for her forgetfulness." He chuckled.

Minako smirked. "I think I already did yesterday."

Yuuki blinked in surprise as she looked between Minako and Hibiki. _I-Is it just me.. o-or do you notice something different between them? Something stronger?_ Yuuki asked Red in his mind.

Red nodded slowly. _Definitely something of significance..._

Hibiki chuckled. "I guess if you call that atonement." He shrugged casually.

"I do." Minako stated with a smirk.

Yuuki smiled softly. "I had an idea, Minako."

"Hm?" Minako asked, raising an eyebrow at Yuuki.

"Since you killed my body yesterday, why don't the four of us go swimming or something for the day?" She suggested with a smile.

"S-Swimming?" Minako tilted her head. "I-I've never gone swimming..."

"N-Never?" Yuuki gasped.

Minako shook her head slowly.

"I haven't swam in eight years." Hibiki shrugged. "Neither of us have legitimate swim suits."

"I have one for Minako to wear."Yuuki smiled. "And all you really need are shorts, Hibiki."

Hibiki nodded. "Yes, I know." He sighed and shrugged. "Minako?"

Minako blinked and looked up at Hibiki. "I-I don't want to drown.."

"You know I wouldn't let that happen." He chuckled softly. "My worry is you attacking me."

Red was already reading through the previous day with Minako. He learned everything Hibiki spoke to Minako about his past, and what Hibiki had done to the man named Yuudai, and how he changed it slightly to use against Minako. The strength of their relationship become clear and his eyes widened slightly at the two but he shook it away. As soon as he connected with Minako he could instantly feel the difference in the level of her emotions. It was if her love emotions rise to more than half. He could currently feel those emotions rising slightly, and it was slightly overwhelming Red. He disconnected and wearily smiled at the two.

"What do you mean, attack you?" Minako smirked before shrugging. "I'll go as long as no one tries to drown me..."

Yuuki smiled. "Should I warn you that the bathing suit is a two piece?"

Minako blinked. "What's that mean?"

Yuuki smirked. "It will basically be like you're wearing your underwear in front of Hibiki." She chuckled.

Minako's face turned a deep shade of red as she lowered her head. "I-I can't d-do that..."

Yuuki laughed. "I used to think the same thing around Red.."

Minako shook her head. "N-No... no, no, no..."

Hibiki ran his hand through his hair. _This might not end so well._ He turned slightly to stand in front of Minako and leaned down slightly to whispered in her ear, "If you want, you can wear a shirt or something overtop."

Minako blinked before looking up at Hibiki with a smirk. "S-So you wouldn't want to see me like that?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

Hibiki chuckled. "I'm just thinking it wouldn't end so well."

Minako shrugged. "Don't trust me?"

"You say you have self-control and then you don't." He chuckled. "Well, if you insist." He shrugged.

Minako shrugged. "What better way to exersise self-control." She smirked and looked to Yuuki. "We will go..."

Yuuki grinned and grabbed Minako's hand. "Come on then!" Yuuki smiled as she pulled Minako away from the training grounds towards Red's house that Yuuki lived in. Minako smiled as she stumbled not to fall as she followed Yuuki.

"Aparentally Yuuki isn't as in pain as she said she was." Red said before turning to follow the two. Hibiki followed behind Red reluctantly.

* * *

Once the four reached the beach, Yuuki didn't hesitate to take off her bathing suit cover and dive into the water off a small cliff further out into the lake. She resufaced and smiled. "It's so nice!"

Minako peered over the edge to look at her reflection in the waters surface, the bathing suit she was wearing was the last thing on her mind. She sighed as she sat back on her knees and watched Yuuki swim. "You're of a water clan, are you not?"

Yuuki nodded. "Water and snakes. Water is natural to me."

Minako nodded as she looked down again, she didn't know the first step to swimming besides attemtping to keep her head above the water.

Red was the second to dive in. He resurfaced beside Yuuki and turned to look at Hibiki and Minako. Hibiki pulled his shirt off and moved to the edge to peer over. The water was only four feet down. His eyes drifted to the left of where Yuuki and Red were where a rock protruded out from the cliff and allowed for somewhat easy access out of the water.

"Would you like to jump in with me?" Hibiki asked, holding his hand out.

Minako blushed as she stood up and took off the bathing suit cover before nervously taking Hibiki's hand. His eyes difted over her bathing suit before he met her gaze again. "Beautiful." He smiled gently.

Minako blushed more as she looked at the water. "J-Just shut up and jump in..." She muttered.

Hibiki shrugged before pulling her to the edge quickly and jumping over. They fell the four feet into the water and Hibiki pulled Minako to the surface. She gasped for air before clinging to Hibiki, but being careful not to pull him under. Yuuki smiled and swam closer to the two. "See, not so bad, Minako."

Minako smiled slightly and nodded.

"Minako, just relax." Hibiki murmured and tried to pull her arms back slightly from his neck. He swam over to the rock and helped her on part of the rock that was still under water.

Minako sat on the edge of the rock and smiled slightly. She looked around and shrugged. "Well, at least I'm not dead yet."

Hibiki chuckled as he sat beside her on the rock's edge. "I told you I wouldn't let you drown."

Minako smiled and rested her head on Hibiki's shoulder. Yuuki had glanced from the pair on the rock to Red. She smirked as she started swimming in circles around him. "It's been a bit since we went swimming." She giggled, keeping her eyes on him.

Red nodded and floated back onto his back. "It defintely has." Red agreed and smiled.

Yuuki smiled as she swam close and leaned close to press her lips gently to his before pulling back and smiling. "I love you, Kaito." She whispered.

The weight of her leaning on him pushed him down slightly and he smiled at her. "I love you too, Yuuki."

Yuuki smiled as she swam around Red again. _So, did you read everything from Minako? I haven't bothered._

Red nodded. _I found out more than what I originally wanted to knowi..._ He paused. _He used some kind of technique on her that skyrocketed the feelings of love she had towards him. _

Yuuki smirked. _Oh I bet you wished you had that to use on me, don't you?_

Red shrugged. _I don't know whether it's a good thing or bad thing._

Oh? Why is that?

Yuuki asked with a raised eyebrow.

It feels...

A splash caught Red's attention towards Hibiki and Minako. He was coaxing her back into the water, pulling her from the rock slowly and teaching her how to swim.

Minako nervously allowed Hibiki to guide her back into the water. She bit her lip as she tried to figure out how to swim. Yuuki smiled slightly as she swam to Red's side. "Hibiki has admitted he wishes to marry her." Yuuki murmured to Red with a smirk. "I can see them together married."

Red nodded. _We only know this because she was jealous of you..._

He chuckled.

"Don't worry, I've got you, Minako." Hibiki smiled. "Just kick your feet."

Yuuki smiled and laughed. _I'm still waiting for the day you ask me._ She winked at Red.

Minako followed Hibiki's instructions, catching on quickly. Hibiki pulled her further out into the water away from land. He smirked slightly and looked at Minako. "You're getting better."

Minako smiled as she slowly started to get the hang of keeping herself above water. She nervously let go of Hibiki's hands and smiled. "Okay, I so wish I did this when I was younger." She smiled. She smirked at Hibiki before diving under water. She opened her eyes to look around. She loved the feeling the water brought her, and even better, she wondered how fast she could move in it. She quickly resurface and gasped for air, she was now a little bit away from Hibiki.

"Minako, you're a natural too!" Yuuki giggled.

Minako blushed and smiled as she pushed some hair from her face.

Hibiki turned his body to face Minako and smiled. "Great job!" He smiled.

Minako smiled more as she swam back to the rock. She sat back down on it and looked over the three people who were with her. She pulled her knees to her chest as she sighed. She still wasn't used to the emotions in her mind. The overwhelming love for Hibiki, the feeling of friendship, and the feeling of pride now that she had been praised for learning how to swim so quickly. It was all overwhelming to her. She buried her face into her knees as a deep blush covered her face.

Yuuki smiled and laughed as she looked to Red and whispered, "She's blushing over being praised?"

She's blushing because of her emotions; pride, us, and her overwhelming attraction to Hibiki...

Red sighed and shook his head. He couldn't decide whether or not Minako was a victim of Hibiki's torture, or if the effects it had on her was a good thing; no more nightmares, happier, more confident, etc.

Hibiki swam his way back over to the rock and lifted his hand up to touch her leg. "Minako?" He said gently.

Minako lifted her head just enough so he could see her eyes, and partly how red her face was. "I-I'm fine..." She murmured.

Yuuki had read what Red was thinking. _She doesn't seem like a victim... I think what Hibiki has done to her is better, she seems much happier, besides... why do you care? _Yuuki asked, raising an eyebrow.

Still bugs me that I can't read him...

He sighed.

Hibiki smiled softly and reached up to caress her cheek. "You learn fast." He stated. "That's a good thing."

Yuuki rolled her eyes. _You're helpless sometimes..._

Minako smiled slightly. "I-I know... I-I never knew I was fast learner..."

"Why don't you come back in?" He asked.

Minako shrugged. "I-I wanted to sit..."

He nodded and swam over beside Red and Yuuki. Red was sighing and Yuuki was rolling her eyes. "Am I interrupting anything?" He asked.

Red shook his head. "Not at all, we invited you."

Yuuki sighed before smiling. "Minako caught on fast. You must like her in that suit, eh, Hibiki?" Yuuki smirked.

Hibiki glanced back at Minako, her knee's drawn to her chest as she peered down at the water. The bathing suit had a floral design with colours of purple, white, and black. He brought his attention back to Yuuki and Red and shrugged. "I guess."

Yuuki scoffed. "You guess? Clearly you do not care for Minako's body..."

Hibiki sighed and stole another glance in Minako's direction. "She looks great."

Yuuki nodded and smiled. "Much better!"

Minako looked back into the water before diving in and resurfacing beside Hibiki. "What are you three chatting about?" She murmured

Hibiki sighed and turned his face away sightly. "We were complimenting your bathing suit."

Minako's face turned bet red. "Wh-Wh-Why?"

He shrugged. "Yuuki's teasing us."

Yuuki smirked. "That's what friends do, is it not?"

Minako looked to Yuuki before smiling. "I-I guess so."

Yuuki grinned and grabbed Minako's hand. "Hibiki, I'm stealing her for a while." She smirked at Hibiki then winked at Red before pulling Minako under water.

Red rolled his eyes. "Before you panic, Yuuki's clan as this ability that makes it easy to breathe under water."

Hibiki pursed his lips. "Really? One thing I didn't know about the Reilna clan."

Red nodded. "It's a quite unknown ability."

Hibiki nodded. "How does it work?" He questioned. Red began to explain what happened when she had used it on him the first time.

Under water, Yuuki pulled Minako along as she showed her under water caves.

"Th-This is so ... cool." Minako smiled.

Yuuki smiled. "Minako, may I ask you something?"

Minako nodded.

"Has Hibiki asked you to marry him yet?"

Minako blushed and shook her head. "N-Not officially... h-has Red asked you?"

Yuuki shook her head. "Nah."

"Wh-Why did you ask anyway?" Minako asked.

Yuuki shrugged. "You just seem so happy with him, I was curious as to if you two were going to officialize it."

Minako shrugged. "Hibiki says he wants to..."

Yuuki smiled. "He's very good for you."

Minako blushed more and nodded. "I almost lost him once..."

Yuuki nodded. "I almost lost Red, and he almost lost me several different times..."

Minako smirked. "So you get attacked lots too?"

Yuuki laughed. "I was targetted."

Minako smiled and laughed. After a while the girls finally resurfaced, gasping for breath. The two looked around and spotted the boys on shore. Hibiki was sitting up and Red was laying back against the sand. The two females swam to shore and climbed up beside their boyfriends. Yuuki curled up to Red's side while Minako sat down beside Hibiki, looking out at the horizon.

"Miss me?" Yuuki whispered as she kissed Red's cheek.

"Didn't worry, did you?" Minako smirked, looking up at Hibiki.

Red nodded and wrapped his arm under Yuuki's head, sighing as he took the sun in. Hibiki just glanced at Minako and shook his head. "Red explained to me what was happening." He chuckled.

Minako smiled and leaned her head on his shoulder as she closed her eyes. "I've had fun today..." She whispered.

Hibiki smiled. "That's good." He whispered. After a few seconds he turned his head to hers and pressed his lips lightly to hers and smiled.

Minako's heart raced as she closed her eyes, melting into the kiss. He pulled back and kissed her cheek before turning back to look at the horizon. Red opened his eyes to glance at the two before shutting his eyes moved closer to Red as she relaxed, the sun warming up her skin.

After the four had dried off in the sun, Minako invited the two to their house. When they reached the house, Hibiki entered first, followed by everyone else. Yuudai was in the kitchen searching for something to munch on. They sat down in the livingroom when Yuudai walked out with a bowl of popcorn. "Uh...hello." He stuttered.

Minako smirked and looked up at Yuudai. "Hey, loser."

Yuudai gritted his teeth and turned away. "Hibiki, I hate you."

Hibiki shrugged. "Shouldn't have done it."

Yuudai grimaced and sat in one of the chairs on the other side of the table in front of the couch. Minako smiled and cuddled into Hibiki's side.

"This is a nice place, Hibiki, Minako." Yuuki smiled as she looked around.

"It was my parents house." He smiled. "Thank you." He wrapped his arm around Minako's shoulder.

Yuuki smiled more as she leaned back against the couch. "Well, its very nice... still don't get why you keep him around..." She murmured, pointing towards Yuudai.

Minako sighed. "Neither do I..."

Hibiki sighed. "He was the only trustworthy person while with Hotaka." Hibiki murmured.

"Yeah! I safed his butt once from the idiot!" Yuudai chipped in, and shoved a handful of popcorn into his mouth.

Minako rolled her eyes. "Yet after all Hibiki had done for you, you still decided to mess with me."

"Of course! I-" His mouth paused open as he looked at Minako. He shook his head and stood. "Disgusting." He stated and left the room.

Hibiki snickered. "I should've used that technique long ago." He sighed.

Minako smiled and nodded. "I don't get why you didn't."

He shrugged. "I wouldn't have thought to use it on you, though." He whispered in her ear and chuckled.

She blushed faintly and laughed. "Are you happy you did?"

Hibiki glanced at the other two and looked back at Minako, nodding once. She smiled and closed her eyes.

The two ended up staying until dinner. After everyone had eaten, Red and Yuuki headed back to their house. Yuudai stayed away in his bedroom, sulking quietly and out of everyones face. Hibiki closed the front door and yawned. "That was a fun day." He chuckled.

Minako smiled and nodded. "I'm tired though."

Hibiki chuckled and picked Minako up into his arms, swinging her around once before heading to their bedroom. He placed her bed on the edge of the bed before rummaging through his dresser for fresh clothing.

Minako flopped back onto the bed, shutting her eyes. "Red and Yuuki plan on getting married." She murmured with a small yawn.

"Do they?" Hibiki asked. He fished out a clean pair of sweats and a muscle shirt before crossing the room back to Minako.

She nodded as she rolled onto her stomach. "Yuuki had questioned me about us to.."

"She did?" He asked. He leaned down and kissed her shoulder. "Well, you know the answer." He whispered and kissed the top of her head.

Minako blushed and smiled. "I-I know..." She whispered, opening her eyes to look up at Hibiki. "I love you, Hibiki."

"I love you too, Minako." Hibiki whispered and moved to press his lips to hers. "A lot." He whispered. He turned and walked for the door, exitting.

Minako had partly difted off into a light sleep when Hibiki had left to change. When he came back, the sound of the door made her grunt and roll onto her side. He quietly made his way over to the bed and climbed in beside Minako. It was fairly early still at night, but both Hibiki and Minako were quite tired. He rolled onto his side and wrapped his arms around Minako's waist, holding her tightly as he closed his eyes.

"M-Maybe I wont dream again." She whispered tiredly with a smile.

He nodded. "That would be great." He murmured and sighed. "Another good night sleeps for the both of us." He chuckled lightly.

Minako smiled and buried her face in Hibiki's chest as she felt fatigue taking over her.

The next morning Hibiki woke up as the sun peeked over the window into his eyes. He opened them slowly to look at Minako's peaceful sleeping face. A smile tugged at his lips and he reached up to caress her cheek before placing a kiss on her lips. He smiled lightly and closed his eyes again, pressing his forehead lightly to hers. She stirred lightly in his arms, her lips parted slightly as her breathing came out soft and quiet. A piece of hair fell in her face as she murmured something tiredly. Hibiki opened an eye to look at Minako again. "What?" He whispered gently.

No response came from Minako as she continued to sleep peacefully. He sighed and closed his eyes again, snuggling closer to Minako and smiling. It was another hour before Minako stirred again. The sun was bright as it poured through the window. Minako buried her face in Hibiki's chest and groaned. "Too bright..." She muttered.

Hibiki chuckled and rolled onto his back, his arm under Minako's head. "You slept again." He murmured and shielded his eyes with his arm.

Minako began to realize that Hibiki was right. "W-Wow... I-I did..." She murmured before smiling. "I can't believe your jutsu fixed me..."

Hibiki chuckled. "If I knew that was all it took, I wish I knew before." He murmured.

Minako smiled and cuddled closer to Hibiki. "Not only does it benifit me, but it benifits you too." She smirked. "You don't have to deal with me waking you up with screams."

Hibiki smiled. "I'm just glad you can sleep peacefully." He whispered and held her closely.

Minako smiled and laughed. "Did you know that when Yuudai charmed me, he first guilted me to get me angry? He guilted me over the fact that, like you, I woke him up with my screaming..." She murmured.

Hibiki opened his eyes. "Well, he should be happy now then as well."

She smiled and nodded. "Can I bother him now that you have that effect on him? It'd amuse me." She smirked.

"Try not to bother him too much. And remember, he can bother right back." Hibiki chuckled.

Minako shrugged. "If I push him far enough, I'm sure I can win." She chuckled.

"Remember though, his issue involves suicide, yours involves love." Hibiki stated.

Minako blinked. "I-I wouldn't end up killing him, would I?"

Hibiki shrugged. "If you think about it, the slightest things will make you start to feel an overwhelming emotion of love for me, and once you actually tackled me. For Yuudai, he'll have strong hatred towards himself, and if pushed may do something to himself." He explained.

Minako nodded slowly. "I-Is this technique you used on both of us pernament?"

"I can set a time limit for the jutsu itself, but depending on the level I use, determines the after affect of what happens. For you it was just continuous overwhelming feelings of love, and aparentally other benefits as well." He smiled.

Minako smirked. "I tackled you, right? Does that not bother you at all? It doesn't bother you that I couldn't control myself and felt the need to throw myself at you?" She smirked.

"I was expecting it at some point." He murmured.

She smirked. "But what if I did it again sometime?"

"I'd be expecting it another point or two, or three." He chuckled.

Minako smirked as she moved herself to climb on top of Hibiki. "Like now?" She whispered, lowering her face closer to his, stopping with their lips inches apart.

"I was obviously expecting it immediately." He whispered.

Minako shrugged. "Saying it like that makes me feel unwanted." She smirked, rolling back off of Hibiki.

He shook his head and chuckled softly. "I love you, Minako. You're never unwanted." He laughed and pulled her close, kissing her cheek.

Minako shook her head and forced her lips to his, grabbing his shirt to pull him closer. "Y-You don't usually seem like you want to do stuff like this though..." She whispered against his lips.

"I just want to wait." He whispered back and kissed her gently.

Minako shook her head. "I'm not asking for anything more than strong kisses... the ones that take my breath away..." She murmured, her face heating up slightly. "I want to wait too, you know." She whispered.

He nodded. "I understand." He whispered and pressed his lips to hers.

Minako smiled softly as she closed her eyes. He lifted his hand to her cheek and pushed his lips harder to hers. "I love you," he whispered quietly.

"I love you too." She whispered, slowly breaking the kiss to search his eyes.


	6. Chapter 6

Yuuki sat up in bed, looking out the window at the rising sun as she sketched fieriously in her sketchbook. She had forgotten the bedroom door open and was too focused in her drawing to close it. She figured when Red woke up he'd be peering over her shoulder as he always did when she was drawing.

"I like it." Red whispered as he looked at the picture.

Yuuki smirked, not taking her eyes off the page. "Of course you do." She smiled softly. "I was wondering how long it'd take until you came in here..."

Red shrugged. "I was later wakng up this morning."

Yuuki smiled and moved forward on the bed to make room for Red to sit behind her. "Care to join me?"

Red moved to leaning against the pillows while he peered around her shoulder, watching as she sketched the rising sun quickly, but accurately. It only took another ten minutes before Yuuki finished her picture and leaned her back against Red's chest, holding up the picture to his view. "Well? You like it?" She smiled.

He nodded. "I love it." He smiled. "It still baffles me how good you are."

Yuuki blushed faintly and shrugged. "I-I can't help it... it just always comes out good." She laughed. "Want to see the one I drew last night after you went to bed?" She smiled.

"Is it of me sleeping?" He chuckled.

Yuuki blushed. "N-Not the picture I drew last night..." She smirked.

Red smiled gently. "Show it to me, then."

Yuuki smiled and flipped the page of the sketch book back one page. The picture was of Red, Minako, Hibiki and herself. She smiled slightly and blushed. "I-It was hard to add myself since my eyes actually only see the three of you, b-but I thought I did well.." She murmured, her face heating up again.

He turned his attention between the picture and Yuuki. "I'd say you did better than well." He smiled and looked over the page again. "Hibiki and Minako would probably love it as well."

Yuuki shrugged. "You think so?"

Red nodded. "Especially Minako."

Yuuki smiled and set down the book. She turned in Red's arms to rest her head on his chest. "D-Do you mind me hanging out with Minako?"

He shook his head. "No, why would it?" He asked in confusion.

Yuuki shrugged. "Incase she steals some of my attention from you." She smirked.

Red laughed. "Nah, that's alright. You've made a friend, and I don't want to steal that away from you due to selfishness."

Yuuki smiled. "It'd be easier if you made friends with Hibiki..."

"Wouldn't be so hard if I could read him in the first place." He sighed.

Yuuki sighed and slapped his arm playfully. "You're acting like your father. If you can't read someone, it drives you insane."

Red sighed. "The apple doesn't fall too far from the tree."

"No, no, it doesn't." Yuuki laughed and kissed Red softly. "But I still love you."

Minako yawned as she looked out the window. It was early in the day and she had woken up normally yet again. She glanced over at Hibiki who was still sleeping peacefully. She knew he'd be awake soon but felt like leaving him. She scribbed a quick note letting him know that she was going for a walk before leaving the house. It didn't take her long to reach the village and soon found herself wandering the streets. She yawned again as she looked up into the sky.

"Do you have a girl named Uma Minako in your village?" A male asked Tsunade.

Tsunade nodded. "Yes, who are you?"

The male smiled. "My name is Tilo, Ashton." He bowed respectivly.

Tsunade nodded slowly. "She lives about twenty minutes from the village. May I ask why you are looking for her?"

Ashton nodded. "She... knows me, but doesn't... I need to speak with her."

Tsunade sighed. "Alright, I'll tell you how to find her."

After Tsunade had told Ashton how to find Minako, he set off out of the Hokage building. As he strolled through the streets, he accidently bumped shoulders with a short pink-haired female. "S-Sorry." He said with an apologetic smile.

Minako looked up and the male and shook her head. "It was my faul-"

"You're Uma Minako!" He gasped.

Minako blinked in surprise and took a step back from the male. "Y-Yeah, I am. Never heard someone say my name so enthusiastically though..."

Ashton smiled. "I've been looking everywhere for you!"

"I-I don't know you..." She stuttered.

"My name is Tilo Ashton." He grinned. "I'm your older brother."

Minako's eyes widened before she let out a nervous laugh. "Ah, no. We have different last names, and I never grew up with a-"

"I'm three years older than you. Jina sent me away because she noticed something off with Ituma."

Minako's eyes widened - he knew her parents names...

"I was adopted by a family in Waterfall Village. I know this is hard to understand, but Jina had sent all my family information with me. I knew I had a mother and father, but not you. When I went to Suna to find Mom and Father, I found out that Jina was dead and Ituma in jail. He had told me of you... not in the best ways, but none the less." He let out a nervous laugh. "I've been all over trying to find you."

"H-How much do you know of me?" She muttered.

Ashton's eyes widened before he shook his head. "I know all about it, but I also know about Hiroshimo." He smiled. "I've learned lots as I tried to find you."

Minako eyed him carefully. "C-Can I invite you to meet Hibiki? I-I need him to check something about you..."

Ashton tilted his head slightly in confusion but nodded. Minako cautiously lead Ashton towards her home shared with Hibiki and Yuudai. When she got inside she told Ashton to sit on the couch beside Yuudai before running off to find Hibiki.

"Nice place." Ashton smiled as he looked to Yuudai and held out his hand. "You're Yuudai?" He laughed.

"I am..." Yuudai smiled. "Is there something wrong with that?"

Ashton shook his head and lowered his hand back to his lap. "No, I just know who you are is all."

"How do you know me?" Yuudai raised his brow questioning.

Ashton shrugged. "Minako filled me in."

Yuudai sat there for a few seconds before nodding. "Alright." He shrugged. "She's crazy."

Ashton laughed. "You think so? I've never witnessed anything crazy about her - just heard about it."

Yuudai nodded. "I'm not speaking about the psychotic side of her that others speak about, just that she's crazy..." He explained. "Not in a crazy-crazy type of way...just-"

"Yuudai, shut up already." Hibiki said plainly as him and Minako walked out to the living room. Yuudai stared blankly at Hibiki and sighed in defeat.

"Tilo Ashton..." Hibiki stated from the opening of the hallway.

Ashton looked to Hibiki and gave a soft smile. "Hey."

"Your father's name is Aito Tilo. Mother's Hina Tilo?" Hibiki asked.

Ashton nodded, his eyes widened. "How do you know that?"

"Hibiki knows basically everyone." Minako stated. "I'm asking him to find out of you're really my brother or not..."

Ashton glanced at Minako before back at Hibiki. "Y-You guys don't believe me?"

"I'm not saying I don't. I know that their eldest son was adopted; it would fit. If I remember correctly, Hina couldn't have children, so they adopted. They eventually were able to have a child on their own - Nana Tilo." Hibiki read off the information from his memory bank. He had been to the Waterfall village numerous times, and knew many families from that place. "I'm surprised you don't even recognise me, we have met."

Ashton's face twisted in confusion. "W-We have? When?"

"Let's just say I had some business with Yuuni Talman."

Ashton nodded slowly. "Oh... alright.." He shrugged. "Anyway, I'm guessing Minako told you all I told her."

Hibiki nodded and smirked. "Minako didn't need to tell me anything." He chuckled.

Minako raised an eyebrow at Hibiki. Ashton shrugged. "So, what is your final decision? Do you believe I am Minako's brother, or not?"

"Yeah, I believe it." Hibiki smirked. "Just another thing to add to what I already know."

Minako looked from Hibiki to Ashton. She bit her lip and sighed. "This is unexpected..." She sighed again. "You're still wearing a Waterfall Village headband, do you intend on leaving?"

Ashton shrugged. "I'm unsure of what I'm doing yet. My plans were to come and find my family..."

"It wasn't anything what you expected." Hibiki stated.

Ashton shook his head. "Nope, not at all."

Hibiki chuckled. "Father in prison, mother not alive, and sister whose a village outcast. Not as happy as you were expecting." Hibiki sighed. "Isn't this world just perfect?"

Minako frowned and looked to the floor. Ashton shrugged. "Life isn't as expected normally. At least I found out I have a sister." He smiled. "I was under the impression I had no siblings."

Hibiki nodded. "Hope you don't mind that I've claimed her."

Ashton chuckled. "No, I don't mind."

Minako blushed faintly and lightly hit Hibiki's shoulder.

"Well, I guess you two should go out for a walk or something. I'm sure you're wanting to catch up on a lot of things." Hibiki smiled. "I know you have a lot of questions for Minako." He winked at Ashton.

Ashton raised an eyebrow at Hibiki. Minako shook her head and tugged on Hibiki's arm. "Come with us... p-please..." She murmured, still not sure about this Ashton character.

Hibiki glanced at Minako. He could read just how nervous she was of his man. He raised an eyebrow slightly and began to chuckle, before the chuckle turned into a laugh. "Alright." He nodded. "I will."

MInako blushed and clung to Hibiki's side as she looked at Ashton. Ashton stood and sighed. "Y-You don't have to, Minako. I understand how weird this must be. I heard all about you from villagers in Suna and here in the Leaf..."

"She just doesn't know how to process all of this." Hibiki sighed. "But she's intrigued."

Minako shook her head and looked up at Hibiki. "I-I know you can read me, but this is beyond what you normally do..." She murmured, tilting her head in confusion.

Hibiki smirked. "I know, right?"

Minako sighed deeply and shook her head. Ashton scratched his head awkwardly. "I-I can go, and return another time..."

Hibiki shook his head. "She really does want to get to know you." Hibiki smiled. "She's just a little terrified...a little accident that happened..."

Ashton smiled sheepishly. "Well, why don't we go to lunch later? Right now I was going to go and see if I can find a hotel to stay in."

Hibiki shrugged. "You can stay here if you'd like. I don't mind, and it would give you more time to spend with Minako."

Minako's eyes widened in horror as she looked at Hibiki - was he crazy? They didn't know him!

Ashton hadn't seen Minako's gaze and shrugged. "I wouldn't want to intrude on your home."

Hibiki shook his head. "It's perfectly fine, you're basically a brother now." Hibiki chuckled.

Ashton laughed. "Alright, if you're sure."

Minako gave a small nod, unsure of what else to do before walking off to their room. Ashton sighed and sat back down on the couch. "I-I don't think she likes me..." He muttered.

"She doesn't know how to take you at the moment. She also thinks I'm a maniac." He laughed.

Ashton chuckled. "Minako seems nice, though."

Hibiki nodded. "She's a little emotional at the moment though."

"Because of me, or something else?" Ashton asked with a raised eyebrow.

"It's because of me." He chuckled.

Ashton chuckled. "If you don't mind me asking, how did you two meet, and how long have you been together?"

"She was out to kill me, but instead fell inlove." Hibiki stated. "But there is more to it then just that. It's complicated. Let's just say she saved me from someone who had me under their control. That was three years ago."

Ashton smiled and nodded. "I won't question it." He shrugged. "From what I heard from the villagers in Suna, she was so bad she had been given the nickname, "The Village Psycho"."

Hibiki shook his head. "They call her that because she accidentally killed another child; mostly it was her father's fault. That began the psychological abuse, and it imprinted on her mind, making the lies reality. She is far from a psycho."

"Thanks to you." Ashton smirked. "I have heard lots. I heard about the child named Sho, and I heard all about Ituma's abuse on Minako from his own mouth and the athorites in Suna. That's also how I heard about you. When I talked to the Kazekage, a male by the name of Daichi spoke to me. He said that Minako lived in the Leaf Village with a male named Hibiki Hiroshimo." He smiled softly. "And as I reached closer, and then into the Leaf, the talk about Minako changed... it became more positive."

Hibiki nodded. "Funny how a change of environment can completely change someone." He smirked. "She still has a mindset that she's a monster, unfortunately." He sighed.

Ashton smiled. "I don't believe it was the change of enviorment that changed her... it was clearly you." He shrugged. "In that short period of time, the bond you two have is very clear to me."

Hibiki nodded. "It's been oddly stronger the last few days." He chuckled.

Ashton shrugged. "That a bad thing?"

Hibiki shook his head. "She's actually been a lot happier." He smiled.

Ashton smiled. "That's good then." He shrugged and turned to glance at Yuudai who was still on the couch beside him before looking back at Hibiki. "So, maybe I should ask... Minako said that Yuudai is an idiot that I should stay far away from... that true?" He smirked.

"I am not an idiot! Minako just hates me for some reason." Yuudai stated and scoffed.

Hibiki shrugged. "He's an idiot."

"That's mean, Hibiki. What happened to all our...our...memories?" Yuudai pouted.

Hibiki sighed. "He's an idiot when you use him and Minako in the same sentence. Just don't get too close, he's a real charmer." Hibiki said sarcastically.

Yuudai chuckled. "Aren't I?" He smirked.

"Towards males too?" Ashton asked, raising an eyebrow as he looked at Yuudai.

Yuudai scratched his cheeks and laughed. "I'd rather not, but I have had to use it."

Hibiki chuckled. "We completeled a very difficult mission because of his charm."

Ashton chuckled and nodded. "Interesting." He faced Hibiki again. "So, how do you think Minako would take it if I remained in this village?"

"She just has to get to know you. There isn't really anything she can do, it's up to the village whether or not they allow your recidency."

Ashton nodded. "I know that. I just don't want to decide to stay and it upset her..."

"Stay a night or two, and get to know her then decide." Hibiki smiled.

Ashton sighed and nodded before standing up. "I'll return later then. I'm going to do some sight seeing." He smiled.

Hibiki nodded. "Go ahead." He smiled.

Ashton smiled and bowed before walking out. Hibiki nodded to Yuudai before leaving to find Minako. She was in their room laying on the bed, staring up at the ceiling quietly. Hibiki made his way to sit on the edge of the bed.

Minako closed her eyes and let out a sigh. "Hey."

"He's a good guy, Minako. You'd like him, you know." Hibiki spoke softly.

Minako turned onto her side, facing Hibiki. She opened her eyes and looked up to meet his eyes. "This is all so sudden for me... I don't know if I can handle a brother..."

Hibiki nodded. "I know what you mean." Hibiki sighed and placed his hand gently on hers.

She moved her hand so she could entwine their fingers. She stared at their hands as she sighed again. "That means there's now one less thing that made us similar... I have a brother..."

"Minako, if you look deeper, we have a lot in common. There may not be too many things in which are common, but that doesn't make you any less human. The things that we don't have in common is what I like about you." Hibiki said and caressed her cheek lightly.

Minako blinked in confusion. "Okay, I may have a messed up mind, and am easy to read, but I know I've never told you I feel like that." She stated, moving to sit up. "How are you reading that from me?" She asked nervously.

Hibiki smiled. "Does it bug you?"

She nodded. "Very much so. How are you doing it?"

He shrugged. "Just something I took from Red, but don't let him know."

She nodded. "What is it though? What does it allow you to do?"

"Numerous things." Hibiki shrugged. "One being that I can read everything about you; your memories and your thoughts - right down to your subconscious."

Her eyes widened as she searched his eyes. "P-Please tell me that's a joke... wh-when did you steal it? H-How long have you had it?"

"When we fought. Haven't really used it until now, but I can see why Red uses it a lot. His father was the creator of it. It's a form of genjutsu, something that is very useful tool." He smirked slightly.

"D-Doesn't that m-mean ... y-you... um..." She shook her head. "Y-You're not scared of what you can r-read from me?" She murmured quietly.

Hibiki shook his head and smiled softly. "It helps me to understand you so much more."

MInako nodded slowly. "S-So then, you understand my feelings towards you then too?" She smirked.

Hibiki nodded. "I knew the strength of my jutsu, but I didn't expect this effect." He chuckled. "It's much stronger than I had known it to be. I'm curious to what it would be like when Yuudai has his hatred fits."

Minako blushed faintly and smiled. "I can't believe you stole a genjutsu like that... Now I'll never be able to think without you knowing what it is." She laughed.

Hibiki chuckled. "That's the point." He whispered.

Minako bit her lip. "That's not fair..." She murmured.

Hibiki sighed and brushed her hair back behind her ear. "I promise, if you want to know something, ask me and I'll tell you." He whispered.

MInako smiled softly. "You really promise? You'll never lie?"

Hibiki sighed and lowered his head. "I will never lie to you." He whispered. "Although, I was really hoping to get Red back."

MInako tilted her head. "Get him back for what?"

"I know why you asked me more about Hotaka; Red wants to know." Hibiki explained. "I was thinking on telling him stories to mess with his mind, but I guess that wouldn't work anymore." He chuckled. "But I will never lie to you."

MInako sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to ask, but he said Hotaka was his brother... I felt bad that his family didn't know..."

Hibiki shook his head. "Something suspicious is up with Red. Hotaka never had any siblings that I knew of. Red's brother's name is Hideki; his story is buried in the Leaf's history. He was abducted when he was a child, but they couldn't find him. I don't know much else about Hideki, but I'm curious to find out."

Minako's face twisted in confusion. "B-But... Yuuki went along with it... wh-why would they lie to find out?" She murmured, still confused.

Hibiki shrugged. "I can find out now."

Minako smirked. "I don't really like how much you can read me, but to read them will be fun-" Minako cut herself off as her eyes widened. "That's how you knew Ashton was my brother!"

Hibiki nodded. "He really does want to get to know you, and he understands if you don't." Hibiki stated. "But I know you're curious yourself. You want to get to know him, but you're terrified. That's alright though, but don't allow it to get in your way of your senses." He whispered.

Minako sighed. "I-I want to get to know him, but only if you stay with me... I dont want to be around him alone.. yet..."

Hibiki nodded. "Alright, that's fine."

Minako leaned forward to wrap her arms around Hibiki's shoulders. "Th-Thank you..." She whispered into his shoulder.

Hibiki moved to wrap his arms around her small frame and held her closer. He chuckled lightly as he stroked her hair. "I can feel your heart racing." He whispered. "It's quite amusing, knowing exactly how you feel at any moment I want."

Minako's face heated up as she buried her face further against his shoulder. "I-I don't like it... I-I honestly can't hide anything..." She murmured outloud. _Even the fact that I want him to kiss me in that certain way I love..._ She thought, though, she knew he could read what she had just thought, so it was like she had said it outloud.

Hibiki chuckled. "You want me to kiss you most of the time." He murmured.

Minako blushed more and nodded. "B-But you know what way I like most..." She whispered.

Hibiki nodded. "I do." He whispered and kissed the side of her jaw before pulling back. "But..." He chuckled.

Minako pouted as she searched his eyes. "But what?"

"I'm really wanting to go see Red and Yuuki." Hibiki smirked.

Minako's mouth gaped. "B-But you don't even like Red? A-And what about the lunch we have with Ashton later?" She narrowed her eyes. "You're just trying to tease me."

Hibiki shrugged. "That...and I just really want to know what's going on with those two."

Minako sighed and flopped back onto the bed. "I will get you back for that..." She said under her breath.

Hibiki smirked. "Funny thing is...I'll know when." He winked and grabbed her hand, pulling her to her feet.

Minako let out a dramatic sigh. "See? It's not fair!"

Hibiki chuckled. "Nah, it's perfectly fair. It's what I do."

"No, it's what you stole..." She muttered, following him out of the house.

Hibiki sighed. "It's the only thing I have. Besides, you thought it was neat how I could take someones jutsu, but as soon as I can use it against you, you get defensive. Now that's unfair."

Minako blushed. "It is unfair though. You can read my every feeling, thought or memory... there are still things I don't know about you, I still wonder how you feel about things, and I can barely read you..."

"Then ask." He murmured. "I told you I wouldn't lie."

"I don't know what to ask exactly... I just want to know everything..."

Hibiki chuckled. "You were my target, and that was it at first. While you were trying to find Koro Tiniko, I was gathering information about you. The Village Psycho...the name got to Hotaka and it intrigued him. I knew of the Uma clan, but not much about you. You were very much different then anyone I had met, and I knew I could probably grow to like you a lot, but I knew then I could never love you since Hotaka was still in control. You were the cause to my constant thinking and I decided in turn to take on Hotaka, since I knew this may be my only chance. As soon as the control Hotaka on me died, you overflooded my thoughts, and I realized just how much love was being surpressed." He paused a minute and continued on to the next thought. "I don't quite understand - ironic as it sounds - my own intelligence. It's just, I understand how things work, and it connects perfectly in my mind. I understand things easily, and it just connects. Photographic memory isn't exactly something new to the universe, but I can remember every single detail in every single circumstance I've been in. I can remember back to when I took my first steps. It's a bit blurry before that, but it strengthened from then on. I can remember all of it." He continued. "When my mother and father were alive, I took it all for granted. My father was a very strong shinobi, one of the best. He tried to pass his knowledge on, but I ignored him. Both my parents loved me to death, and they tried to get me to understand the importance of knowledge, but I continued to ignore most of it. I just assumed I had time to mess around and have fun before worrying about having to fight any enemies. I feel regret, and I feel like the dumbest child of all. I miss my mother so much, and if I could go back, I'd take in everything dad would tell me, and I'd make him proud." Hibiki frowned and sighed. He listened for a moment as her thoughts continued to fly by in a frenzied haste.

He smiled softly and caressed her cheek. "I want to marry you because it's a bond that means something more than just dating. It means that you'd be mine and mine only. It means that everything you are is mine for the taking, and everything I am is yours. I love you so much I want to display as much to you." He shook his head and lowered it, chuckling lightly. "I never would have thought I'd say this outloud, but I want our wedding to be big - to be known. I want it to be perfect for you, since it's very much about the bride as it is about the couple being married. I want people to come and see how beautiful you are, not how scary you can be." He chuckled. "Minako, I have no idea what marriage would hold for us, but if it involves children, I wouldn't hesitate. I know you'd be terrified considering your own situation, but I wouldn't force you." He smiled softly. "That answers a few of your questions."

Minako searched his eyes as she blushed. Out of everything he told her, the fact that he wanted a big wedding was the most shocking. She was speechless - outloud - as she looked at the man she loved so dearly.

"I only want it big because I want everyone to see you as I see you." He smiled.

Minako blushed and shook her head. "Y-You want to see me in a white dress? I've never even worn a dress in my life..." She murmured.

Hibiki nodded. "I wouldn't begin to imagine just how beautiful you'd look." He whispered.

Minako blushed more. "Th-Then.. if you want to marry me so bad, why are you still waiting on it?" She asked, a smirk playing at her lips.

Hibiki chuckled. "That's one thing I'm willing to keep a secret currently." He murmured.

Minako smirked and moved to wrap her arms around his neck, putting on an innocent look. "That's being unfair..." She murmured, holding back another smirk.

Hibiki smiled. "No, that's completely fair. Would you rather know everything, or it being unique and special?"

MInako blushed and avoided his gaze. "But now I'm going to be wondering constantly..."

Hibiki shrugged. "You'll find out sooner or later." He chuckled.

Minako let out a sigh before unwrapping her arms from around him and taking his hand again, pulling him along. "Aren't we going to find Red and Yuuki?" She smirked.

Hibiki nodded and quickly followed after. They quickly made their way into the village to Red's house and knocked on the door. Unfortunately, Red or Yuuki were not there. They continued on their way and eventually found them at a park in central Konoha. Yuuki was swinging high on a swing while Red was leaned against the pole watching her. Minako smiled softly as they got closer.

"Minako! Hibiki!" Yuuki smiled as she jumped from the swing and landed gracefully on her feet. "How're you two?" She asked casually.

Minako smirked and looked up at Hibiki. Hibiki smirked and looked at Red and Yuuki. "We're fantasic, you?"

Red lifted and brow and looked to Minako. His eyes widened and he clenched his jaw as he looked at Hibiki. "No." Red hissed.

Hibiki looked at Red and chuckled. "Yupp. You understand quite perfectly."

"No!" Red steped forward and clenched his fists.

Hibiki shrugged. "It's quite useful..." He paused and smirked. "Unless, of course, you cannot read the person."

Red narrowed his eyes. "How? How can you take something you cannot observe?" His voice began to raise.

Hibiki shrugged. "I observe it when you eye Minako carefully and understand things she herself doesn't. It sucks though, doesn't it? How I can read you but you can't read me. Although, there are some things I can't read...barriers?" He smiled.

Red narrowed his eyes and shook his head. "That..is pathetic."

"What's pathetic is the fact that you were taking advantage of Minako and trying to figure out my life due to your own pride. Minako had to force herself to ask me questions she didn't want to." He placed his hand gently on Minako's shoulder. "But I know everything I can know about you now." His expression turned smug and he turned to Yuuki. "And as for you, I know just as much." He chuckled.

Yuuki's eyes widened as she looked nervously from Hibiki to Red, and then back to Hibiki. "E-Everything...?" She murmured.

Hibiki nodded. "Everything I can in front of your barriers." He smiled. "But thankfully, you don't have too many of those." He winked. "Especially since both you and Red discarded some barriers after Hideki was killed."

Yuuki's eyes widened more as she looked back to Red, searching his face.

Red's jaw was set as he stared at Hibiki. "This guy is more annoying then before." Red stated. He shook his head and turned to leave.

Yuuki shook her head and grabbed Red's wrist. "Please... don't..." She murmured. "You brought this on yourself..." She whispered, her eyes pleading.

Red shook his head. "I've never been so annoyed since Hideki was alive." He hissed.

Yuuki gripped his wrist tighter. "Red, please. Don't be like this..."

Red gritted his teeth and lowered his head. "Be like what, Yuuki? This technique was only between you, me, and my parents. No one else."

Yuuki sighed and let go of Red's wrist. "Fine...go back home if you wish."

Red paused for a moment to look into Yuuki's eyes before turning to leave.

Minako frowned and looked from Yuuki to Red. She looked back to Yuuki and shook her head. "Why is it such a big deal to him?"

"It was a technique only to his parents, himself, brother and I. To know Hibiki took it, without premission and with such ease, irritates him. There's nothing that can be done. I told him not to trick you... I figured it'd come back on him in some way, and this happens to be it..."

Minako sighed.

Hibiki nodded. "I understand." He shrugged slightly. "But I need to think of tactics in battle. I figured it would be the greatest asset in my analysis and stragetics. Also for the fact that I did want to get him back."

Yuuki nodded. "I hold nothing against you for it, Hibiki. Taking jutsu is just how you work, there's nothing wrong with it, Red just can't seem to understand it..."

Hibiki nodded. "I understand." He smiled softly.

Yuuki sighed and placed her hands on her hips before smirking. "You have visitor who claims to be your brother, Minako?"

Minako sighed. "I want this technique... I feel so left out!"

Yuuki smiled. "I'm glad you have a sibling."

Minako rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I guess..."

Hibiki smiled. "As do I." He chuckled.

Yuuki had returned home to find Red on the couch. She let out a sigh and sat down beside him. "Red..." She murmured, looking over at him.

"I know, I know. I can't help but strongly dislike him." He murmured and leaned his head back, letting out a frustrated sigh.

Yuuki shook her head and rested her hand over his. "I understand you being upset... b-but... I don't want to lose them as friends over this..."

Red nodded. "I don't mind you and Minako being friends, Yuuki."

"But I like Hibiki too..." She murmured. "I wanted you two to be friends..."

Red sighed. "We're too much a like, Yuuki. It'd be hard to get along with someone too much like myself." He murmured.

"Minako and I are alike, and we get along perfectly fine." Yuuki stated.

Red shook his head. "Not alike as much as Hibiki and I." He sighed.

"So what, Red? If you just let go of this curiosity you have, and this new anger over him taking the technique, you could easily be friends... What if Minako and I were taken, about to be killed, and your only option to save us was if you and Hibiki worked together... would you let Minako and I die over something so silly?" She asked.

Red shook his head. "That would be an entirely different situation. I'd be willing to work with him solely for the sake of your life."

Yuuki groaned and stood up, running her hands through her hair. "Red... you're being childish over this. You brought this on yourself - I don't blame Hibiki for taking the technique, I understand. I also understand why you're so upset about it, but honestly, if I were your father, I would be sharing the technique with other - trusted - shinobi. It's just so valuable..." She sighed dramatically and left the livingroom to the kitchen to search through the fridge.

"That's the point!" Red called. "_Trusted_ shinobi!"

Yuuki slammed the fridge shut and moved to the doorway to look at Red. "Red, open your eyes! Minako and Hibiki are some of the strongest and most trusted shinobi in this village! Of anyone outside our family, it should be him to deserve to know it! He would never turn against any of his fellow shinobi with it." She stated, narrowing her eyes on Red.

Red narrowed his eyes and shook his head, leaning it back against the back of the couch and looking at the ceiling. "My father specifically wanted it as a family secret."

"I'm not family, Red. You taught it to me before we even became a couple. Explain that." She sighed.

"First you're a genjutsu user and second, you're basically family."

"But I wasn't then. That's my point. I wasn't even considered family yet, but you showed me anyway."

"I showed you...because I knew that I'd be showing you eventually." He murmured.

Yuuki sighed and returned to the kitchen. "You're so stubborn..." She murmured, pulling out a jug of water and filling a glass before sitting at the kitchen table - she was glad Red's parents weren't home yet.

Red made his way to the kitchen and stood behind Yuuki. "I am stubborn."

Yuuki lowered her head slightly and gritted her teeth. "Not now, Red." She sighed.

Red sighed and leaned against the wall. "I can't help it." He murmured, reaching down and grabbing a piece of her hair to twirl in his finger.

Yuuki stood up and turned around to face Red. She placed her hands on either side of him and leaned close, their lips inches from one another. She closed her eyes and frowned. "If you honestly refuse, then fine. But you're not going to mess this up for me. I've never had a close female friend before..." She shook her head and opened her eyes to search his. "And if this stubborn act you're putting on, means you see me less, then it's your own fault. And by that, I mean, if I spend a lot of time with Minako, Hibiki being with us or not, and you start thinking, "Hey, I wish my girlfriend was home, or that I could be with her right now," you only have yourself to blame." She murmured before moving back from him and turning back around to grab her glass, putting it to her lips as she closed her eyes - she didn't like being so cold to Red about a situation that angered him so much, but she was mad, she felt like he was trying to take a piece of happiness from her.

Red frowned and moved to wrap his arms around her from behind. "I want you to be happy, Yuuki..." He whispered. He shook his head and sighed. "I almost feel like it isn't meaningful anymore. What I could only read from you before...now Hibiki can read it too. I don't like that." He murmured.

Yuuki set down her glass and lowered her head as she looked down at the table, his arms still around her torso. "All I can do is apologize." She murmured, closing her eyes, debating on moving from his arms or not.

Red shook his head. "It's only him who can decide to discard the technique or not. Which I doubt he will be." He murmured.

Yuuki sighed and finally moved from Red's arms, grabbing her glass and setting it in the sink before turning and heading to the livingroom. She laid down on her stomach on the couch and looked at the television, watching as the images changed. She didn't want to argue with Red anymore; it was taking all she could to keep herself from crying over it. She let out a breath and closed her eyes, trying to hold back her emotions.

Red frowned as he followed close behind. He sat down on the arm of the couch and sat his face in the palm of his hand. "Yuuki..."

Yuuki shook her head. "J-Just drop it..." She murmured, her voice wavering as she bit her lip, trying to push back tears that were brimming in her eyes,

He sighed softly and moved to sit on the edge of the couch beside her. He frowned and began to rub her back lightly, not knowing what to say. Yuuki turned her face away from Red and buried in into the cushion. "W-Would you honestly be happier if I just stopped hanging with them?" She whispered, biting her lip harder as a few tears slipped from behind her lids and slid down her cheeks.

Red shook his head. "I'm very happy that you found a friend, Yuuki. I'm very happy for you, but Hibiki and I don't get along as well." He murmured and leaned down to kiss her left shoulder softly.

Yuuki tensed under his kiss before letting out a sigh and relaxing slightly. "I know... I-I'm sorry for forcing you to hang with him..." She muttered

Red shook his head and wrapped his arms under her waist and leaning his head against her back. "I'm willing to compromise a few things." He whispered.

Yuuki shook her head. "Don't force yourself..." She whispered, sniffling.

Red sighed and manuevered Yuuki onto her back. She turned her face away and closed her eyes, her lip trembling slightly. Red frowned and reached to move her hair from her eyes before wiping her tears. "I don't mind Minako, I think you and her could potentially be the best of friends. I can tolerate Hibiki."

"Don't lie..." She whispered. "You can just barely tolertate him..." She stated, moving her arm over her eyes.

"I can tolerate him while I'm with you." He murmured.

Yuuki shook her head. "Just stop, Red." She murmured. "I wont make you do that anymore..."

Red moved closer and pulled Yuuki into an embrace, hugging her tightly. A whimper left Yuuki's lips as she hugged Red tightly, tears slipping from her eyes again as she buried her face into his shoulder. He held her tightly and stroked her hair softly. "I'll...try..." Red spoke quietly after a long while.

Yuuki smiled softly and gave in from fighting him. "I-If you can't take it, I-I wont be mad if you were to leave..." She whispered, kissing his neck softly before burrying her face again.

Red nodded and leaned against the back of the couch. "I'm sorry, Yuuki." He whispered.

She shook her head. "You don't need to apologize..."

"Yes, I do." He murmured and pulled back. "I made you cry." He whispered and wiped her tears.

She frowned before shaking her head. "No, I just have unpreditctable emotions... that's not your fault..." She whispered.

Red sighed and shook his head. "I made you upset."

Yuuki sighed and closed her eyes, resting her head on his chest. "Don't worry about it..." She whispered.


	7. Chapter 7

Minako and Yuuki had dragged their boyfriends out of their homes to hang out once again. Shortly after arriving, Minako and Yuuki snuck off to train alone - they had no idea if the boys would hang out and talk or leave back home, but honestly they didn't care.

"They were easier to escape than I expected." Minako laughed.

Yuuki smiled and nodded. "I wonder what they will do..."

Minako nodded. "Oh well! It's time I whip you into shape Miss. Reilna!"

Yuuki blushed faintly. "Don't go too hard... I want to be able to feel my body tomorrow..."

"They're taking a long time in there." Red murmured.

Hibiki nodded in agreement. The two had both needed to use the washroom, so the guys had waiter outside while the girls took their washroom break. It hadn't been until both girls were about to leave the washroom when Yuuki had come up with the plan to sneak out the back way and disappear. It had been almost ten minutes now.

Red sighed. _Yuuki..._

Yuuki was training hard. She landed on her back on the dirt and gritted her teeth when she heard Red's voice. _Kaito, my love! _she smirked as she got to her feet to attack Minako.

_This is not funny..._ Red sighed.

"Don't like being alone with me when you don't know what I'm thinking?" Hibiki smirked.

Red narrowed his eyes at Hibiki before sighing and leaning back against the wall. "Alright, Hibiki, you got me. I do not like the fact that - despite it being my family jutsu - I can't read you, but you managed to take it from me and you can read me. You annoy me a lot..." He paused and ran his hand through his hair. "But for Yuuki's sake, I'm willing to put my differences aside." He stuck his hand out towards Hibiki.

Hibiki stood there for a few seconds and sighed himself before taking Red's hand in mutual agreement of putting both Yuuki and Minako's interests first. "I will try not to read you as much."

Red stared at Hibiki with a blank expression.

"Alright, alright!" Hibiki chuckled. " I just won't."

Red nodded. "Better. Now, let's see if we can scare them."

Hibiki smirked. "Sounds good."

_We thought we'd give you boys some alone time._ Yuuki stated before being thrown into a tree. "Gah!"

Minako laughed. "Yuuki! Do you ever train?"

Yuuki winced as she stumbled to her feet. "K-Kinda..."

Minako shook her head. "Apparently not enough. You've barely landed a hit on me!" She smirked.

Yuuki quickly pulled her hands together and formed several hand seals before water appeared below Minako's feet, slowly climbing up her body. Minako gasped and quickly tried to escape. She formed her own wind style jutsu's, but it had no effect.

"Now who wins?" Yuuki giggled.

Minako winced as she tried to hold her breath as the water consumed her. When Minako made no sign of giving in, Yuuki released the jutsu, letting Minako fall to the ground.

"M-Minako?" Yuuki stuttered nervously.

"T-Trying to drown me?" Minako laughed weakly. "I'm already afraid of water as it is..." she murmured. She moved to sit up when her nose caught Hibiki and Red's scents. She smirked to Yuuki who was smirking back in return, had already sensed their chakras.

The girls shared a look that they both understood. Minako stepped closer to Yuuki and nodded. Yuuki surpressed her giggle as she held her hand out. Minako laughed, unable to hold back. Despite Minako being shorter than Yuuki, Minako still pulled Yuuki onto her  
Back and bolted off into a run. The girls knew that no matter how hard they tried, Minako would be too fast to catch.

"Think they will be mad?" Yuuki asked Minako as she held on tightly.

Minako shrugged. "They probably are from the first time we ran off." She smirked.

Yuuki!

Red called out to Yuuki, beginning to feel frustrated. The two guys already had known that it would be very unlikely that they would be able to scare the two females. Hibiki sighed and shook his head, stopping in mid stride to turn back to look at Red.

"Are you wanting to persue them?" Red asked, shrugging.

Hibiki didn't respond. He knew Minako was fast, and it would take a lot of energy to out due her. He finally shrugged. "We'll try one more time just to reach them, I guess." Hibiki murmured.

Red nodded and they both begun to move forward. Yuuki and Minako's minds were racing through where they were heading, giving the two men an easy route to where they were.

Yuuki tugged on Minako's shoulder to get her to stop running. "Stop here..." Yuuki smirked.

Minako looked at Yuuki with a raised eyebrow, but stopped to let Yuuki down. "Why? We're not gonna run anymore?"

Yuuki shook her head. "Red and Hibiki are only going to try once more, then they are gonna give up." Yuuki smirked. "Our thoughts cannot be hidden, and I dont want them to just go away..."

Minako crossed her arms over her chest as she looked up at Yuuki. "What are you thinking, Reilna?"

Yuuki smirked. "To play with their heads of course."

"B-But... they can hear our thoughts?" Minako murmured, confused.

Yuuki nodded. "But I can change our appearances."

"Whaa? But our thoughts...?"

Yuuki nodded. "Our thoughts will still be our own, which is where they will grow confused."

"They will see right through it if we're thinking it..."

Yuuki laughed. "I've talked to Red's father alone. I figured out how to make temporairy barriers in the mind!"

Minako smirked. "Epic!"

Yuuki nodded and pulled her hands together in a hand seal. Water wrapped around the two and changed their ourside appearances, so Minako looked like Yuuki and vice versa. Minako looked to Yuuki and blinked in surprise. "D-Do I really look like that?"

Yuuki raised an eyebrow and nodded. "Can't imagine how annoying it is being so short..."

Minako laughed. "I don't mind..."

Yuuki shrugged and formed another seal. "There are barriers in our minds that block that we ever had this conversation. It only lasts about fifteen minutes though." She laughed nervously. "Do not let Red touch you though!"

Minako smirked. "Don't let Hibiki touch you..."

Yuuki nodded. "Just keep your distance."

Minako chuckled. "They're close..."

"You two together accumulate more energy then Yuudai." Hibiki said and shook his head. "I didn't think that was possible." The two men had rounded the corner and found the two standing beside each other, smiling.

"What?" Red asked, curiously. He tried to read them, but he couldn't find anything in the immediate sense of what could be going on; indicating only one thing, barrier. Red eyed the two suspiciously, he wondered if Hibiki had caught on. He could at least feel that Hibiki seemed a bit uncomfortable, and he eyed them suspiciously as well.

The girls smiled innocently. "Yuuki" had a few cuts and looked more beaten up than Minako, only because that was how she looked prior to the jutsu.

"Did you not like our prank?" 'Minako' smirked.

'Yuuki' nodded and smirked as well. "We thought it was funny."

Red's brow rose and he stepped towards the two with a blank expression before turning to 'Yuuk'i and pulling her close. "I should take back my apology." He whispered just so that 'Yuuki' could hear. His voice held a tone of joking around.

'Yuuki's' eyes widened as she shoved Red back, turning to look at 'Minako' nervously. 'Minako' sighed, she was beginning to think this prank was a bad idea.

Red looked at 'Yuuki' with confusion. "I was only joking." He murmured, raising his hands in defence.

Hibiki stood back and watched the whole situation. He couldn't help but feel that both were acting odd. Hibiki raised a brow and stepped forwards towards 'Yuuki', pushing Red lightly away to look into 'Yuuki's' eyes suspiciously.

'Yuuki's' eyes widened as she tried to force back the blush creeping up onto her cheeks. 'Minako' sighed - she knew they were done for. "H-Hibiki!" 'Minako' gasped. "Wh-What are you doing to Yuuki?" She asked, trying her best to be like Minako.

Hibiki turned and smirked at 'Minako' and turned back to 'Yuuki' leaning forwards slightly.

Red stepped forward and places his hand against Hibiki's chest, pushing him back. "Alright, Yuuki,what's your biggest fear?" Red asked, staring into 'Yuuki's' eyes.

'Yuuki's' eyes widened as she looked between Red and Hibiki, taking a quick glance at 'Minako'. 'Minako' sighed again. "You guys suck." A light glow went around the girls before they returned to themselves, the barriers lifting, and Minako now standing where Yuuki was.

Minako laughed nervously as she took a step back, the same time as Yuuki. "W-We were bored..." Minako murmured.

Yuuki let out a nervous laugh as well. "G-Guess our boyfriends know us too well, Minako..."

Minako nodded as she put on an innocent smile. "P-Please don't put me through insanity again, Hibiki..."

Yuuki chuckled nervously. "A-And don't keep yourself from me, Kaito..."

The girls continued to step back with their hands up in defence. They had hoped the prank would go better than it had, but apparently, they needed to get to know each other better first. The girls also knew their boyfriends and expected a punishment for what they had just done, however Yuuki knew that the only punishment Red could give, almost killed them both once, that and Yuuki was already beat up from training with Minako and didn't think her body could take much more.

Red turned to stare blankly at Yuuki. "Maybe it'd be easier this time." His left brow rose slightly.

Hibiki ignored the impulse to read what Red was thinking and turned to look at Minako. "I knew something was up the moment you shoved Red away. You were the same with Daichi." Hibiki chuckled.

Minako blushed brightly as she looked away from Hibiki. "S-Stop knowing me so well... Now that you have this mind-reading thing, it makes it impossible for me to do _anything_ to you... y-yet you can do anything to me..." Minako murmured quietly with a pout.

Yuuki laughed nervously. "K-Kaito... please don't..."

Red smirked and turned to leave, leaving behind Yuuki and the other two. Hibiki sighed as he looked to Minako. "I already told you..." He murmured, his voice trailing off.

Minako frowned and wrapped her arms around Hibiki. "D-Don't look at me like that..." She murmured into his chest. "I-I don't like when you look so.. upset..." She whispered.

Yuuki smiled before stumbling after Red. "K-Kaito..." She said nervously, grabbing his arm. "P-Please don't... L-Last time we did this I almost died from not eating or drinking anything... w-we were both empty..." _Don't put me through hell over a simple prank..._ She murmured into his thoughts.

Red smirked and glanced over his shoulder at Hibiki and Minako before returning his gaze to Yuuki. He leaned in to place his mouth near her ear before whispering, "It amuses me about how conscious you are about when you know you're in trouble; using my name as if it's a "get-free" card." He turned around and began to head back down the street him and Hibiki had come from.

Hibiki sighed and pulled away from Minako to look into her eyes. "You're too self-conscious Minako." He murmured under his breath.

Yuuki blushed and chased after Red again. "Red! Come back... please... I'm sorry!" She grabbed his arm and tried to stop him from walking, but she knew it was futile - she was always weaker than him in strength, and with her being wounded and drained from training made it worse.

Red just sighed and pulled Yuuki up onto his back in one fluid motion. "Fine, I won't completely ignore you..." He chuckled.

Minako blushed faintly. "Wh-Why... I-It's true..." She murmured.

Hibiki shook his head and sighed. "I can't do _anything_ to you, Minako, and there is a lot of things you _do _do to me. Just because I can read you, doesn't mean anything. I already knew you well before I took this jutsu from Red. The only thing now is that I can remember your memories as you do, and I know what you're thinking...Sure, there was a lot of irrelevant, not as important things I didn't know about you that I do now, but that doesn't stop you from asking me whatever you want to know at any time. Stop thinking that you don't influence me." He said.

Minako pouted as she looked to the ground, a deep blush on her face. "I'm sorry... I guess... I just feel inadequte to you, Hibki... you..." She sighed. "You can just do so much, and are so much more civil and social then I am. I mean, sure I've improved lots since we met but... I still feel like nothing.." She shook her head. "I know I mean the world to you, Hibiki, but one day... this monster may possess me forever, and I will never be the Minako you know and love. That is what separates me from everyone else, like you, Red and Yuuki... I cannot control who I am..." She sighed deeply and lowered her head as she wrapped her arms around herself, gritting her teeth.

Hibiki frowned and reached to lift her chin. "Minako...do you remember..." He stepped towards Minako so that his body was an inch from hers. "...How you felt..." He lifted her face a little more and leaned down to kiss the side of her jaw. "...When my jutsu was over? You felt happier, and I know you may not be as happy right now, but you are generally more happy." He said slowly and kissed her jaw again. "You're not inadequte."

Minako closed her eyes as he kissed her gently. She bit her lip as she frowned. "B-But... Hibiki..." She murmured. "I.. you don't understand what it's like... when it takes over me..." She whispered, pushing back her emotions of anger, sorrow and frustration.

Hibiki shook his head. "I know I don't, but it doesn't define who you are, Minako." He whispered and placed his hand on her neck as he kissed the corner of her lips. "You are who defines you, no one and nothing else."

Tears brimmed in her eyes as she searched Hibiki's eyes. She couldn't seem to get him to understand how she was feeling, even with his ability to read her mind. "A-All... I've ever wanted since you first kissed me... and made me yours... w-was to feel whole... to feel like a human and not a creature... I still feel empty, Hibiki... I don't feel completely human yet... I-I want to end this demon that claims me..." She whispered, her voice shaky as a tear slipped from her eye. She shook her head and lowered it as she placed her hands over her eyes, her body starting to tremble. "I... I know how much you h-hate when I talk like this, Hibiki... but it's my feelings... a-and you always say for me to voice them." She whispered, a choked sob escaping her throat.

Hibiki nodded and wrapped his arms lightly around her shoulders. "You are a human, Minako. You're just burdened with so many things; memories, thoughts, words...inadequecies." Hibiki murmured. "If it makes you feel better, Minako, I want you to voice these things to me. I don't care if I can read you, I want you to tell me."

She let out another sob as she buried her face into his chest. "I... I'm still sorry..." She whispered. "Even if you don't act it, I-I know I anger you sometimes, yet you continue to put up with it and pretend that you aren't upset..." She whispered. "I-I don't care if you tell me you're upset... it will help me correct myself." She murmured quietly as she let out a shaky breath.

Hibiki shook his head and pushed Minako up against the fence to their right. He lifted her face and peered into her eyes. "Minako, I'm not going to tell you to put your feelings of just so that our relationship can remain levelled. If you are not truly happy, I don't want to play pretend. I want you to be happy. What angers me is..." His words caught in his throat and he continued to stare at Minako. Finally, he let out a breath. "What angers me is how cruel a word can be to push a young girl over the edge to create within herself an entirely new persona that takes on the form of a demon-monster. The amount of people's words that were tossed at you like you were some garbage bin, the amount of times people walked by and spat on you. How people would ignorantly ignore you and downright disrespect you all because of a stupid mistake, and you were, what? Five?"

Hibiki relaxed slightly and went to step back, but instead stepped forward and hugged her tightly, pinning her against the wall so she couldn't run or hide as she always tried to do. "If I could go back..." Hibiki whispered and leaned in to put his mouth near her ear. "I'd kill him."

Minako couldn't contain her tears as they fell rapidly from her eyes. She gritted her teeth as lowered her head as she tried to contain the sobs the best she could. "Y... You..." She shook her head, unable to get the words to form. She bit her lip as her body trembled in his hold. She wanted to cry out loudly, but she continued to try and contain the screams building in her throat. It had been three years since her and Hibiki had spoken of her father and it had been that same about of time since Hibiki had to witness her father almost beat her to death. She hated her father with a passion. It took until Minako met Hibiki for the Kazekage to believe that the abuse she had was from him and not self-inflicted as her father had always claimed. Minako knew Hibiki would kill her father without a second thought, but she had refused him of that.

Minako's knees gave out and she slumped in his hold - had he not had his arms around her and pinned up against a wall, she would have fallen to the ground. She still couldn't form words, but she knew Hibiki was reading her mind and would know what she was unable to vocalize.

Hibiki gritted his teeth and moved his arms around her waist, pulling her tightly to himself as he buried his face into her neck. "I'm sorry, Minako. I can't say I would've known if I had been there at the time. If I would have known to be able to stop it. I can't change the past, no one can, but you still have the future, and it's what _you_ do with it. Don't allow this to overwhelm you as it has, it's weaker than you realize. You're strong, Minako. I know you are." He said and squeezed her slightly.

Minako choked on a few sobs before trying to calm herself down. "I... If you had been around to s-stop my father..." She whispered. "I would not b-be different anymore." She slowly lifted her face to search his eyes, tears streaking her face and a playful smile at her lips. "Th-That difference i-is what made you fall for me." She whispered.

"Whose to say that I wouldn't have if you were different than you are now?" He whispered and kissed her skin lightly.

She gave him a soft smile. "N-No one I suppose..." She whispered.

"Exactly." He whispered and kissed the side of her jaw. "No one." He pulled back slightly to show her his half-hearted smile. "I love _you_, Minako. I love you for who you are, for what you can and have done. I love you because everyday you prove to me why I should love you."

Tears slipped from her eyes again as she searched his face. Sometimes she felt like she didn't deserve Hibiki, but when he spoke to her like that, she knew there was no one else he wanted, and she also knew she'd never give herself to anyone else. "H... Hibiki..." She murmured as she wrapped her arms tightly around him. _I want to try something later..._ She thought quietly.


	8. Chapter 8

Hibiki nodded in understandment. "I don't like the idea, but I understand what you want." He whispered and kissed her cheek gently.

Minako smiled softly as she hugged him tighter. "Obviously Yuudai cannot make me mad anymore... so who can we bother?" She whispered.

"Me?" Hibiki pulled back and smirked.

Minako tilted her head and shook her head. "What could you do? You don't make me mad..." She murmured, slightly in confusion.

Hibiki shook his head. "Nevermind." He laughed slightly and sighed. "I just don't want you to go back there." He murmured.

Minako sighed. "I-I know... but I want to test something..."

He sighed. "I know..."

Minako ran her hand through her hair before smirking. "What is Keiko up to these days?"

Hibiki chuckled slightly. "I have no idea."

Minako reached to take his hand before smiling. "Let's find her and Yama then."

* * *

Yama yawned as he laid under the shade of a tree with his hands behind his head. He could faintly hear Keiko talking beside him but was blocking her out for the most part.

"Yama..." Keiko said for third time. She shook his arm and stared at him blankly.

Yama opened an eye to look at her. He gave her a soft smile and chuckled. "Yes, my beautiful girl?"

Keiko was caght slightly off-guard with the sudden show of affection. She shook it off and narrowed her eyes at him. "So _now _you try to use charm?" She rolled her eyes and turned to lay her head on his stomach. "But seriously, did you hear me?"

He shook his head. "I'm sorry, Keiko. I'm tired. My new squad is way more draining than your squad ever was..." He said with another yawn as he placed his hand on her head and stroked her hair gently.

Keiko sighed. "You're tired a lot." She murmured and rolled over onto her side to look at Yama's face. She could really only see his chin and nose.

"I'm sorry..." He whispered. "I'm listening now, though... what were you saying?"

"Okamato was totally thrown off today. He was so confused!" Keiko laughed. "He was trying to catch Kito off-guard and tackle her, and-"

"Keiko, Yama." Hibiki nodded towards the two under the shade of the tree.

Keiko slowly turned to look. She spotted Hibiki first and then turned to see Minako. She propped herself up on her elbow and eyed Minako. "So, if it isn't you two? Befriend us then throw us to the curb, huh?"

Yama sighed as he moved to sit up. "Keiko..."

Minako shrugged. "We didn't throw you away."

"Feels like it." Keiko said plainly.

"There was a lot going on, and it wasn't just us that broke off." Hibiki eyed Keiko.

Keiko scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Who cares? You both are idiots."

Minako stepped forward and grabbed Keiko's collar, forcing her to her feet. "I have a favor to ask of you... not that it matters.." She eyed her closely as she gritted her teeth. "You're already doing it without my asking..."

Keiko shoved Minako back and brushed her shirt with her hands. "Ew." She said plainly and placed her hands to her hips. "I'd appreciate you not touching me."

Minako narrowed her eyes as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Oh please! Before we lost contact, _you_ hugged _me_!"

"Apparentally a mistake." Keiko rolled her eyes. She waited a few moments and sighed, sitting back down beside Yama.

Yama rolled his eyes as he placed his face in his hands. "Keiko... it was fault on both our parts... don't be so upset... you were friends..." He murmured with a deep sigh.

Minako sighed deeply. "All I need you to do is piss me off to the point that I slip into insanity..." She murmured, keeping her eyes off of Keiko.

Yama's face twisted in confusion as he looked at Minako and then to Hibiki with a look of questioning.

Hibiki frowned slightly. "It's something that we both need to do. I promise Keiko will not get hurt."

Yama sighed and shrugged. "I don't think you need to ask her... it comes naturally to her..." He murmured.

Keiko spun her head to look at Yama. "Is that how you feel?" Keiko asked, slightly angery by his comment.

Yama's eyes widened as he shook his head violently.

"Aim your anger at me..." Minako growled.

Keiko stuck her hand up towards Minako. "Buzz off." She said and narrowed her eyes at Yama, turning on her knee's with her back to Hibiki and Minako, her eyes glaring at Yama. "Why do you have to be like that?" Keiko frowned.

Yama shook his head. "L-Like what?"

"Like that!" Keiko gasped, throwing her hands out towards him.

Yama shook his head. "K-Keiko, I can never please you..."

Keiko shook her head. "Who says that? Of course you can!" She crossed her arms over her chest, closing her eyes and sighing.

"I rarely do..." He murmured, turning his gaze from her.

Minako frowned slightly as she looked up to Hibki and whispered, "Why is their relationship so weak?"

"Keiko has an unrealistic idea in her head about how Yama should be. Yama is more laid back while Keiko has too much energy." He whispered and shook his head. "She wants Yama to be more like me, yet Yama and I are two completely different people." He sighed.

Minako frowned. "Isn't there a way to fix them?"

Hibiki chuckled slightly. "Every relationship can be fixed, but it's a matter of both parties working together."

MInako nodded. "So who tries harder to keep them together? It's Yama, right?"

Hibiki sighed. "Mostly. Keiko does love him dearly, and if she lost him, she would be devestated. It's a subconscious feeling she has; if she can control him, their relationship is good. While at the same time, she can't understand why Yama isn't doing what she wants him to." He murmured. "Yama just doesn't understand why Keiko is acting the way she does."

Minako laughed slightly. "So if they keep as they are now, can they last?"

Hibiki shrugged. "They love each other a lot, but they both annoy each other greatly. At this point in time, neither wants to seperate, but you can never know what the future holds." He murmured.

Minako sighed as she looked to the squabling couple. "Keiko. Yama."

Yama slowly turned his attention to Minako. "What?"

"You two need to stop fighting like this all the time. Keiko, you don't give Yama enough credit, and Yama, you let Keiko rule over you." Minako shook her head.

Yama's eyes widened slightly as he slowly looked to Keiko.

Keiko's eyes widened slightly as she stared back at Yama. She stumbled over her first few words and turned to look at Minako. "Who asked you?" She hissed.

"Anyone can see who rules your relationship, and anyone outside looking in on you two can see that every attempt Yama makes to please you or to act sweet you shoot down." She shrugged. "You two wont last forever like this..."

Keiko narrowed her eyes and turned her face away from Minako and Hibiki, hiding it from Yama as well. She had thought about their relationship over and over again every day, and she knew Minako was right. She shook her head and closed her eyes, forcing the tears back. For so long, she had managed to push her feelings back, but with Minako saying out right what Keiko had thought about started to invoke her tear glands.

Yama reached out to touch her shoulder. "K-Keiko? D-Don't listen to her..." He murmured, quiet so Minako and Hibki couldn't hear, however he also agreed with Minako's statement.

Keiko shook her head. "It's true." She murmured and climbed to her feet, walking in the direction of her apartment.

Yama frowned and watched her as she walked off. Minako groaned. "I needed her anger..."

"Why do you always run away, Keiko?" Hibiki asked. "Stop running from your problems."

Keiko stopped in mid step and turned, storming up to Hibiki and pointing her finger in his face. "My problems? Why don't you lay off and mind your own buisness?" Keiko spat.

Minako gripped Keiko's wrist, hard. "Don't get mad at him for stating facts." She hissed, narrowing her eyes.

Keiko ripped her wrist away from Minako. "Like your one to talk. You know what it's like. Having feelings deep down that you don't know how to control. You of all people should know." Keiko gave Minako a look of disgust.

Minako's eyes narrowed further as she gritted her teeth. "You know nothing of me! Don't you _dare_ try to compare us!" Inwardly, Minako smirked. She could feel her mind starting to slip.

Keiko scoffed. "I've heard the rumours, and I wouldn't at one point doubt them." She narrowed her eyes at Keiko.

Hibiki hesitated to step forward. He could feel exactly what Minako was feeling, but he wasn't liking it at all, but he knew Minako wanted to do this. Minako narrowed her eyes. "The rumours are lies! Don't you try to act like you know my life and who I am!" She hissed -Minako could feel insanity slowly claiming her.

Hibiki gritted his teeth and reached out to touch Minako's back lightly. Keiko laughed. "Then don't tell me how to live my life or what to do with a relationship that doesn't involve you. Yama and I l-love each other." She glanced at Yama quickly. "So shut up."

Minako clenched her fists and shook her head. "You don't deserve someone who tries so hard to please you. I hope he leaves you all alone!" Minako shouted. "I was trying to help! Now I hope he leaves you heartbroken and alone. You even stutter when saying you love one another, pathetic!" She smirked, with a glare in her eyes.

Keiko gritted her teeth. "Our relationship is none. of your. buisness." Keiko snarled. She went to continue, but nothing came out. Truth was, she didn't have anything to say against what Minako had said. She didn't deserve Yama, but she would crumble away to nothing without him; he was all she had, and she didn't want to lose him. She sighed and shook her head. "And it's not like Hibiki deserves better himself?" She eyed Minako through the corner of her eye and rolled her eyes. "Just as pathetic."

Minako's eyes widened before they narrowed, she stepped to Keiko and gripped her throat, no logic left in her mind as insanity claimed her. "How dare you?" She screamed.

Yama jumped to his feet, eyes darting to Hibiki, expecting him to make Minako move.

Hibiki gritted his teeth and gripped the side of his head. All sense of Minako had left her and Hibiki could feel the overwhelming change. It was if all humanity in her had left and evil had completely consumed her. Keiko struggled under Minako's grip and tried to push Minako away. Even her kicks were futile. "Y...Y-Yama!" Keiko choked.

When Yama realized Hibiki wasn't going to stop the situation, he quickly advanced to try and pry Minako's hands from around Keiko's throat. Minako growled and kicked Yama back - even her strength grown when insanity claimed her. She pulled Keiko over to a tree and pushed her against it, her eye twitching slightly as she moved her mouth near Keiko's ear. "Maybe things would be easier if you didn't get to live with Yama... maybe you'd make him happier." Minako smirked. "Why not let me kill you without a struggle?" She laughed eeriely.

Hibiki finally gained control of himself and pulled his mind away from Minako's. He made his way over to Minako and acted quickly to pry Minako's hands from Keiko and pin her arms behind her back, pulling her away from Keiko. "Minako, stop it."

Minako shook her head as she continued to glare at Keiko. "She needs to keep her mouth shut! I will force her!" Minako laughed again as she struggled in Hibiki's hold with all her strength.

Hibiki spun Minako in his arms and took her face into his hands. "Minako, you have to fight this. If you don't, it'll continue to take you each time." He spoke urgently, looking into the eyes of Minako's body, but she wasn't present.

Minako smirked at Hibiki as she searched his eyes. "Oh Hibiki... Why fight something that made you like me to begin with?" She snickered, pushing Hibiki back into a tree as she leaned closer to his lips. "You're right... that jutsu was useful..." She smirked. "I'm quite more attracted to you now."

Hibiki's eyes widened slightly. "Minako, please." He whispered.

Minako chuckled. "Hibiki, don't beg for the impossible..." She smirked.

Hibiki frowned slightly. "Fine, but just don't hurt anyone else. If you're going to hurt someone, hurt me." He said, keeping his eyes connected to hers.

Minako laughed as she grabbed the collar of his shirt. "Hurt you? Intersting that you give me premission to hurt at all." She shook her head and leaned closer to kiss his neck. "When do you intend on killing me? I know you do not like me, only because I kill the true Minako you love." She laughed. "Do not get confused, we are two different beings in one body, and I can be killed, but the question is... can you do it." She smirked as she pulled back to meet his gaze.

Hibiki remained unmoved. "If it destroys you, I'd do almost anything." He murmured.

Minako nodded. "You'd do _almost_ anything. Are you willing to hurt Minako in order to get rid of me?" She laughed.

Hibiki gritted his teeth and looked away momentarily. He didn't answer.

Minako laughed and stepped back to look at Keiko who was in Yama's arms as he inspected her neck. "Better watch her and man up, Yama." She laughed before running off.

"Wh... What is wrong with her?" Yama hissed at Hibiki as he held Keiko close.

Hibiki cleared his throat and shook his head. "I'm sorry about Keiko, Yama. I'm sorry I didn't act quicker...it's..." He let out a loud breath. "It's just something that Minako has trouble with. I'm sorry." Hibiki tried to share a half-hearted smile before running off after Minako. He connected to her mind to see where she was headed.

Somewhere in the middle of the village, Minako had stopped. Inside she was trying to fight her insanity, and somewhere in between she collapssed out cold. Yuuki had been passing by and saw Minako fall. She gasped and ran to her side as she looked over Minako. "Wh.. Where is Hibiki? H-He can't be far... he never is..." She murmured, pulling Minako into her lap as she looked around frantically for Hibiki

Hibiki finally showed up to find Minako in Yuuki's lap. "Y-Yuuki." Hibiki stumbled as he walked up to Yuuki. He reached down to pull Minako into his arms.

"What's wrong with her? I just watched her collapse..." Yuuki asked asked as she moved back to stand.

Hibiki nodded slowly. "She'll be alright." Hibiki frowned.

"W... Will you be alright?" Yuuki asked gently - unlike Red, she rarely used her mind reading ability.

Hibiki nodded. "Just a little weary." He mumbled.

Yuuki nodded slowly. "I-I hope things are okay... bye, Hibiki." She murmured before continuing on her way.

Hibiki watched Yuuki's retreating form for a few seconds before turning and heading back towards his house. When he arrived he found Yuudai to be missing. He didn't care all too much about that though. He walked through the house slowly and made his way down the hallway to their bedrom, placing her carefully on the bed, positioning her comfortably for when she woke. A strand of hair had covered her eyes and he moved it to the side before leaning down and kissing her forehead.

It was only a short while before Minako stirred awake. Her eyes darted around until she spotted Hibiki. "I... I passed out?" She murmured.

Hibiki nodded slowly. He had sat back against the wall on the bed, his legs crossed so as to give Minako room. His eyes were closed, but when he heard her voice he opened his eyes. "Yuuki found you in the middle of the street." He said in a whisper, reaching out to caress her cheek. "Are you alright?"

Minako nodded. "I... I feel fine... d-did you figure anything out when I snapped?" She murmured, searching his eyes, sensing something uneasy in the way he looked at her.

Hibiki frowned and nodded slowly, movng to lean on his elbow as he leaned down to kiss her softly. "I'm sorry, Minako." He whispered and sat back up.

Her face twisted in confusion. "Wh... Why are you apologizing?"

"Do you trust me fully?" He whispered, keeping his eyes away from her.

Minako nodded. "Of... course I trust you fully... b-but... why are you asking.. you're making me nervous..." She murmured.

He gritted his teeth and shook his head. Finally, he turned to look at her. "I love you, Minako."

Minako shook her head. "Stop creeping me out..." She said, moving back a bit from him.

Hibiki sighed quietly as he watched her move away slightly. He simply reached out to grab a strand of her hair and smiled softly at her. "I'm not trying to creep you out." He let out a short breath of air that could be taken as a soft laugh.

Minako let out a breath and relaxed. "O-Okay..."

"Minako, you need to get a grip of yourself." Hibiki said after a few moments of silence.

Minako blinked in confusion. "Wh-What?"

"This insanity thing that you claim is but your imagination." Hibiki looked away and gritted his teeth. "It's childish."

Minako shook her head. "Y-You know it's not a lie! Wh-Why are you saying otherwise?" She asked, somewhere between anger and shock.

Hibiki shook his head and leaned his head back against the wall, staring up at the ceiling. "It's something you have created as a young child that pins all the mistreatment on a made up figment in order to keep yourself out of trouble. It's childish and you need to stop."

Minako narrowed her eyes and gripped his collar. "What the heck are you talking about? You understand better than anyone!" She hissed.

Hibiki kept his eyes away from hers. "That's why I'm saying you need to knock the nonsense." He turned to look at her, trying his hardest to pull all hurt from his eyes and push forward aggitation. He pushed Minako back, a little bit more roughly, and stood up. He took another glance at her and moved across the room to the dresser. He was planning on taking a shower, hopefully to distract his mind.

Minako suddenly smirked as she sprawled out on the bed. "Interesting that you want me, Hibiki." Minako giggled as she looked over at him with narrowed eyes and a playful smirk.

Hibiki turned his head to look at Minako. "What are you talking about?" His voice held no sense of amusement.

Minako smirked. "You go out of your way to anger Minako in order to get me out. What are you planning, cutie?" She chuckled softly.

Hibiki narrowed his eyes. "Cutie? Don't call me that." He growled and stood upright again, turning his body towards Minako's.

Minako shrugged. "Why not? I am in Minako's body. Think of me as your girlfriend." She laughed. "Maybe you'll grow to love me more." She smirked.

Hibiki shook his head. "You disgust me. I'm getting rid of you once and for all."

Minako chuckled. "So you will harm Minako?"

"Unless I can find a way that doesn't involve hurting her."

Minako stood up and walked to Hibiki, placing her hands on either side of him as she leaned her face close to his. "I could always leave willingly..." She smirked.

"Make mine and Minako's life easier by doing so." Hibiki stated and gritted his teeth.

"Kiss me first." Minako smirked. "Then I shall leave."

Hibiki narrowed his eyes and leaned forward, pressing his lips against hers and grabbing the back of her head. He foreced his lips harder to hers and after a few moments pulled back for a breath of air. "Now leave." He stated.

Minako smirked. "Such a good kisser." She chuckled before nodding. "Promise is a promise. Besides, after using that jutsu on her, it wouldn't be long before she did overcome me - I just wanted to kiss you first." She laughed before Minako's eyes fell shut and her body slumped, falling against Hibiki's body.

Hibiki held her up and wrapped his arms tightly around Minako's body, burying his face into her neck. "Minako?" He mumbled against her skin.

Minako's eyes fluttered open as she looked around confused. Something felt different within herself, like a hole had been filled. She tried to think of what it could be, but she then realized that she felt lighter, like a weight had been lifted. She no longer felt burdened by an evil aura. "H... H-Hibiki?" She whispered.

Hibiki buried his face further into Minako's neck and kissed it lightly. "Good." He whispered and held her tightly.

"Wh... What's wrong with me?" She whispered, still trying to figure out this free feeling.

"It's gone..." Hibiki replied in a murmur. "I'm sorry I was rude to you..." He whispered.

"Y... You were rude to me? When?" She murmured. There were now some gaps in her memory. Things done and said to make her snap were erased from her mind when the insanity left. She also no longer remembered ever having insanity.

Hibiki shook his head slightly. "It doesn't matter."

Minako shrugged. She moved from his arms and smiled gently. "Then stop acting so sad."

As Minako broke away, Hibiki turned back to the dresser and knelt down, forcing back the tears in his eyes. A few tears had slipped out, but he hoped Minako hadn't noticed. Minako placed her hands on his back. "H-Hibiki? What's wrong? D-Did I do something?" She whispered.

Hibiki shook his head. "Nope." He laughed lightly. "It's all good."

Minako smiled softly. "Good." She laughed and scratched her head. "I feel like I can't remember some things though..." She murmured, moving to sit down on the bed.

"Oh?" Hibiki murmured and pulled a few clothing from the drawers and stood up, wiping the few strand tears and turning to smile at Minako. "Maybe that would be a good thing."

Minako shrugged. "Having a shower?" She smiled as she moved to lay down on the bed.

Hibiki nodded. "Yeah, I was thinking I might."

Minako nodded. "Have fun then. I'm tired." She murmured, closing her eyes as she curled into a ball.

Hibiki watched her for a moment. Even though every single memory of hers when unstable remained with Hibiki, he could see how she truly did not remember. He glanced at his clothing and moved his way across the bed, sitting on the edge. He leaned over and wrapped his arms around Minako's form. "I love you." He whispered.

Minako smiled softly. "I love you too, Hibiki." She whispered tiredly.

Hibiki moved to lay down beside her, tightening his arms around her body. He nuzzled his face into her back and closed his eyes. "A lot." He whispered. "No matter what."

Minako laughed softly and flipped over to look at Hibiki, his head now on her stomach. "Hibki, you don't need to tell me. I know how much you love me, that's why I allowed myself to be yours." She smiled softly. "I love you more than I probably even realize some days, and I appriciate everything you do for me." She smiled. "My past as a child doesn't even matter, so long as I have you by my side."

Hibiki nodded slightly and tightened his arms around Minako's back, nuzzling his face further into her stomach. A soft smile crossed his lips and he couldn't help but laugh lightly.

Minako blinked as a blush formed on her face. "Wh-What's so funny?" She stuttered. "D-Don't you have a shower calling your name?" She murmured, turing her gaze away as her blush deepened.

Hibiki pulled back slightly to look up at Minako. Her blush made him smile all the more. "It can wait." He said.

Slowly, she turned her gaze back to meet his as she smiled sheepishly. "You just want to make me blush more..."

"It was always easy." He chuckled lightly.

Minako pouted childishly as her face turned red again and she looked away. "But you insist on doing it..."

Hibiki smirked. "You're adorable when you blush." He whispered.

Minako groaned and flipped over to burry her face into the pillow. "Hibiki! Stop..." She muttered.

Hibiki moved up so that his face was levelled with hers and rested his elbows on the pillow, looking between his arm at the side of Minako's face. "I know you don't want me to stop." He stated.

Minako tensed, her face so warm that she almost felt like she couldn't breathe. "I-I'd prefer you to kiss me... then this..." She whispered.

Hibiki chuckled. "Since words are so much more effective?" Hibiki questioned, raising a brow.

"No, 'cause kissing me makes me blush less!" She groaned.

"Exactly." Hibiki laughed and rolled over onto his back, turning his face to look at Minako. "I'm glad you're happier." He murmured and smiled softly.

After a few moments, Minako managed to loose her blush. She rolled over so she could cuddle against Hibiki's side and closed her eyes. "I'd never have been happy if we had never met. You _are_ the scorce of my happiness." She whispered.

Hibiki sighed and wrapped his arm lightly around her shoulder as he rubbed her back gently. "Minako..." He whispered.

"Hm?" She grunted tiredly as she opened her eyes to look up at him.

Hibiki smiled softly and leaned forward to press his lips lightly to hers. Minako smiled against his lips as she closed her eyes and pressed her lips a bit harder to his. He chuckled lightly and moved to wrap his arms around her torso. "There." He whispered between a kiss and chuckled again.

"There?" She murmured, between a kiss. "What, do you mean?" She murmured against his lips.

"You wanted me to kiss you." He laughed and kissed her again before leaning his forehead against hers. He peered into her eyes and smiled again. "Stunningly beautiful." He whispered.

Her eyes widened as her face turned deep red. "M-Maybe you shouldn't talk..." She whispered.

Hibiki shook his head. "I can see it in your eyes." He murmured. "You look...fuller...happier..."

She smiled slightly. "That's because of you and your jutsu."

Hibiki sighed and shook his head before placing his lips to hers once again. "As I said, stunningly beautiful." He whispered after pulling back. He closed his eyes, a smile covering his lips.

Minako smiled. "You seem so happy today, Hibiki." She murmured.

"As do you, Minako." He whispered.

Minako giggled softly. "D-Do I?"

Hibiki nodded. "You definitely do."

Minako shrugged. "I didn't notice."

He just laughed. She blushed again. "Hibiki... Don't laugh at me..." She whined. He laughed again and opened his eyes to look at her again.

"Why not?" He smirked.

"Because..." She muttered, turning her eyes away.

"Hm?" He asked, and turned her face back to him.

Minako searched his face before placing her lips to his. "Just shh." She murmured, closing her eyes. Hibiki continued to look at her for a few seconds before closing his eyes and smiling against her lips.


	9. Chapter 9

Minako sighed deeply as she walked back home. She was drained from helping Yuuki train her squad and was really wanting to take a bath once she got home. Minako wasn't usually one to get tired so easily, but since the week before, she had. She still had gaps in her memory, and Yuuki and Red had even questioned her on it, but she had no answer for them. Things had continued to grow well between Hibiki and herself, she felt more levelled with him. When she reached home, she looked around the house but found it to be empty still. Hibiki and Yuudai had gone on a mission for the Hokage early that morning and were supposed to return late afternoon. Minako shrugged and went to her bedroom and flopped down on the bed with the intentions of getting up, however before she knew it, she drifted off into a light sleep.

The mission had lasted longer than Hibiki and Yuudai had intended, and they were happy to arrive back. The mission wasn't as fun as Hibiki and Yuudai had wanted, but it was satisfactory. After Hibiki made himself something to eat, he checked around the house to find Minako asleep on the bed, her arm hanging off the side and her face looking towards the door. He laughed softly and smiled, leaning against the door frame.

Yuudai was walking towards the washroom and stopped beside Hibiki, turning to look at Minako. "She looks funny." He said.

Hibiki rose an eyebrow to look at Yuudai. "And you don't?" Hibiki asked.

Yuudai laughed and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, okay." He shook his head and begun to walk down the hallway, when he turned ot look at Hibiki once again. "So, are you?"

Hibiki glanced at Minako once again and nodded slightly. "It doesn't change the fact that you're an idiot."

Yuudai laughed and rolled his eyes before turning back around. Hibiki took one glance down the hall before moving forward into the room. He lifted her arm quietly and placed it beside her body and leaned down to level his face with Minako. As he pushed her hair from her face, he called her name softly.

Minako stirred slightly. She grunted tiredly, her eyes still closed.

"Minako..." He whispered again and leaned the side of his face against the bed, inches form hers. "Wake up..."

Minako grunted again as her eyes opened slowly. She glanced at Hibiki who was inches from her and smiled softly. "You're back..." She whispered, closing her eyes again.

He nodded and leaned forward to kiss her quickly. "How long have you been sleeping for?" He asked.

Minako opened her eyes again and glanced at the clock before closing her eyes again. "About an hour..." She murmured. "Yuuki's squad is crazy..." She muttered.

Hibiki chuckled. "Alright." He whispered and kissed her forehead. "Sleep." He whispered.

Minako shook her head and quickly reached to grab his wrist. "No... I didn't want to sleep anyway..." She murmured, forcing herself to sit up as she looked at Hibki with a tired expression.

"Are you sure? You look very tired." He whispered and moved back on his heels again, squating in front of Minako still.

Minako shook her head and rubbed her eyes, trying to rid herself of her fatigue. "I was waiting for you to come home." She smiled softly, looking less tired.

Hibiki smiled and rested his elbows on Minako's knee's. "Do you want to know how my mission went?"

She nodded as she smiled. Hibiki smiled back for a few seconds before beginning.

"Well, as you know I was with Yuudai the entire time." Hibiki rolled his eyes and laughed before closing his eyes. When he opened them again he his smile widened. "I'm joking, Yuudai was good company. We had to go to a small village located in one of the largest forest here in the Land of Fire. We were just escorting someone there, got into a few fights, nothing too big." Hibiki shrugged. "But on the way back... Well, you know how Yuudai is, right? Many people know him mostly for his charming, but he definitely has a way with words. He somehow manages to really speak right to you, as if he's almost controlling you, and he put this crazy idea in my mind. I mean, I was already thinking about it, but he eleborated for me..." He waited for some reaction from Minako.

Minako raised an eyebrow and laughed. "You're taking advice from Yuudai now?" She smirked and placed her hand to his forehead. "You feeling alright Hibiki?" She giggled before pulling her hand back.

Hibiki laughed and shrugged. "Despite him being how he is, he is a smart man. Very good with words, and not too many people realize that he is a very good decision maker, and when he's serious...he gives good advice." He shrugged again.

Minako laughed softly. "Get to the point, Hibki. What crazy idea has he given you?"

Hibiki shook his head and smirked. "I can't just tell you. But what I can tell you, is that I have a surprise for you."

Minako tilted her head slightly as she pursed her lips. "You do?"

Hibiki nodded. "But...first, you have to wait..." Hibiki turned to look at the clock. The clock read seven at night. "You have to wait three hours." He smirked.

Minako smirked. "That's not fair. Say you have a surpirse and then make me wait?"

Hibiki nodded. "Another thing to drive you insane." He smirked.

Minako laughed and shook her head. "How kind of you." She rolled her eyes playfully and laid back on the bed, looking up at the ceiling. "I love you."

Hibiki stood up and leaned over her body to kiss her. He caressed her cheek and smiled. "I love you too." He whispered.

Minako smiled softly. "If you're going to make me wait three hours, can I have my bath?"

Hibiki nodded. "That would be good anyways-" He laughed.

Minako smirked as she looked up at him. "Do I smell?"

Hibiki laughed and shook his head. "No! I'm saying..." He stopped in the middle of his word and laughed. "You'll see why later."

Minako laughed and shook her head. "You and your mind games." She sat back up, placing a quick kiss on his lips before pulling back and moving to the dresser. "Can I dress casual when I'm done, or no?" She asked with a smirk, looking over her shoulder at Hibiki.

Hibiki shrugged. "You choose." He smirked. "But choose wisely."

Minako turned around and rested her hands on the dresser as she eyed Hibiki close with a smirk. "I have no idea what to wear when you talk like that... you can't be taking me out to dinner at ten in the evening, so what are you plotting?"

Hibiki placed his hand on the closest wall and crossed his legs as he leaned. His eyes scanned over her and met her gaze. He smirked. "Something."

Minako groaned slightly as she shook her head. "Fine, keep secrets." She smirked and gabbed an outfit before heading towards the door. "If I'm not out in two hours, I probably fell asleep." She smirked.

Hibiki shook his head. "Don't drown. Besides, I don't think you'll want to miss tonight." He laughed and moved to sit on the bed.

Minako rolled her eyes and smiled as she walked out. She quickly reached the bathroom and closed the door, locking it. She turned on the water and turned to look over her reflection in the mirror. She chuckled and shook her head. "What could he possibly be planning?" She giggled before removing her clothes and stepping into the bath.

Ashton had a grin on his face as he headed towards Minako and Hibiki's home. During the last week, he had been making a relationship with Minako. She seemed more open to him than she had been in the beginning, she had even hugged him once. When he reached the house he knocked on the front door a few times before putting his hands into his pockets and waited.

Yuudai opened the door and leaned against the frame. "Well, well. Hello there Ashton." He said.

Ashton smiled. "Hey, Yuudai. Can I come in?"

Yuudai's expression fell blank and he straightened. "You're asking...if you can come in?" His eyes narrowed.

Ashton nodded slowly. "Yeah, I don't live here, so why would I let myself in?"

Yuudai laughed and patted Ashton on the shoulder. "Sure, man, come in." He stepped aside and allowed Ashton to step in before shutting the door behind him. Hibiki walked from the kitchen with a cup in his hand and waved at Ashton with his free hand.

"Hey."

Ashton smiled. "I'm officially a Leaf shinobi." He smiled. "Tsunade finalized it today."

Hibiki smiled. "That's great."

Yuudai nodded. "Very!" He patted Ashton's back as he moved to the couch. "That's awesome."

Ashton smiled and took a quick look around. "Minako not home tonight?"

Hibiki nodded towards the washroom. "Bath."

Ashton chuckled. "That's too bad, I wanted to tell her the news as well."

"Well, she's been in there for well over an hour." Hibiki laughed.

Ashton shrugged. "She's a girl... girls like their baths..." He chuckled.

Hibiki nodded. "I'll go get her though." Hibiki moved down the hall, taking a sip of water from the cup he held in his hand. When Hibiki reached the bathroom door he knocked. "Minako?" He took another sip.

Minako gasped as her eyes shot open. She blushed faintly and ran her hand through her wet hair. "How long have I been in here?" She called back with a nervous laugh.

"Over an hour. Ashton came with some news." Hibiki said and leaned his forehead against the door. "Did you fall asleep?"

Minako let out another nervous laugh. "P-Possibly..." She said as she climbed out of the bathtub and pulled the plug to let the water drain. She wrapped a towel around herself before walking to the door and opening it slightly to poke her head through, a faint blush on her cheeks. "How long as he been here?"

Hibiki looked down at his glass before taking another sip. "Only a few minutes." He replied.

Minako smiled softly. "Okay. I will be out in a few minutes." She stated before closing the door again.

Hibiki nodded and returned back down the hall. "She's coming."

Ashton smiled softly. Five minutes passed before Minako came to the livingroom. She was wearing a red tank top and black pants. Her hair was pinned up at one side by a barett and she had an innocent look on her face. "This good enough for you, Hibiki?" She smirked.

Hibiki turned to look at Minako and smiled. "It is."

"Hm? Good enough for what?" Ashton asked, slightly confused.

Minako smiled. "Hibiki is plotting something and said I need to wear something decent."

Ashton nodded and laughed slightly.

"So, what's this news, Ashton?" Minako asked, placing her hands on her hips.

Ashton pulled out his headband from his pocket, it bearing the Leaf Village symbol. Minako smiled. "I'm glad, Ashton."

Ashton nodded and smiled. "Can't lose me now."

Minako laughed. "I don't want to, you're the only family I have."

Yuudai sighed. "Well, I'm glad to hear all this good news and all, but I think I'm going to head out. I'll see you all later." He nodded slightly and moved to the door before turning back. "Have fun, Minako." He said and winked towards Hibiki. He turned back and headed out.

Ashton tilted his head slightly. "What are you plotting on my sister, Hibki?"

"Yes, Hibiki, what are you plotting on me?" Minako smirked.

Hibiki shrugged. "That's for me to know and the two of you to find out." He shrugged.

Minako rolled her eyes. "I'll be back then." She murmured and headed off towards their bedroom again.

When Minako was out of sight, Ashton smirked. "Can I know now that she's gone?"

Hibiki shrugged and moved to evasive action. "So, now that you're in, where were you planning on living?"

Ashton smirked and sighed. "Subject change?" He shook his head. "I already have an apartment I'm sharing with an old friend who moved here a few years back." He shrugged. "Now don't avoid my question." He brought his voice to a whisper as he smirked. "You aren't planning in proposing to her, are you?"

"As I said, it's for me to know and for you to find out." He smirked.

Ashton chuckled. "Whatever, I'm going to head out, I just wanted to let you guys know." He smiled and moved to the door, he paused mid-way to leaving. "I better be invited to the wedding." He smirked as he looked to Hibiki.

Hibiki rolled his eyes. "When we do get married, I'll remember." He winked at Ashton and watched as the door closed.

Minako returned from the bedroom and looked around. "Ashton left?"

Hibiki nodded. "Want to leave you alone with me." Hibiki chuckled.

Minako blushed faintly. "O-Oh..."

Hibiki nodded and moved over to wrap his arms around Minako's waist. "We still have a while, are you hungry?"

Minako nodded slowly. "Yes."

"What would you like?" He smiled.

Minako shrugged. "I love you're cooking. Make anything."

He nodded and kissed her cheek before moving to the kitchen. He began to rummage through the cupboards before figuring out the perfect meal. When he was finished he set the small table up in the kitchen to make it slightly romantic; as much as he could. He placed two bowls of Miso Soup on either side of the small table and placed the Chicken Katsu on a small platter in the middle of the table with glasses beside each bowl. He poured a small amount of sake into each glass and went out to meet Minako on the couch. "Ready."

She smiled softly as she stood up from the couch. Hibiki moved over to stand behind her, placing his hands over her eyes and leading her into the kitchen. He sat her down in her chair and pulled his hands back. Hibiki had turned off the lights and lit a few candles around the table. "Hope you like it." He laughed.

Minako's face turned a deep shade of red. "Wh-Why go to so much trouble? A simple dinner would have been fine..." She murmured with a soft smile, however it looked more innocent with the deep shade of her face.

Hibiki shrugged. "Well, I don't think we've ever really had a dinner like this." He laughed lightly and kissed the side of her face before moving to sit in the chair across from her. "Enjoy." He said.

Minako smiled softly as she started on her soup. "This is great, Hibiki." She murmured, still blushing.

"Thank you." He murmured, gazing across the table at her. "I like what you've chosen, by the way."

Minako smiled softly. "I was considering not doing the barett thing... but I decided to." She shrugged and laughed before taking another sip of her soup.

He shook his head. "You look beautiful."

She blushed again as she diverted her gaze from his. "Th-Thanks..."

He nodded before finally starting to eat the soup in front of him. When the dinner was finished, Minako helped Hibiki do the dishes before moving to the couch - there was a half n hour until ten o'clock.

"So, since it's not ten yet, that dinner was not your surprise?" Minako asked, raising as eyebrow with a small smirk.

Hibiki shrugged. "I thought I'd treat you to a dinner as well." He smiled. "At least it passed time in a very...romantic?...way." He chuckled lightly.

Minako blushed faintly and nodded. "You've been acting more and more romantic lately I've noticed."

Hibiki laughed. "How so?" He moved to sit beside Minako.

Minako shrugged. "I dunno... maybe I'm imagining it?" She giggled slightly. "Either way, it seems so to me." She shrugged and rested her head on his shoulder.

Hibiki shrugged and leaned his head against hers. "Maybe...maybe not."

She smiled softly. "You really won't let me even have a hint?" She murmured.

Hibiki shrugged and took her left hand in his, tracing his thumb lightly over the top of her fingers. "I love you?"

Minako laughed and smiled. "That's not a hint, Hibiki." She whispered.

"Yes, it is." He laughed. "Although, it can hint to many things."

Minako nodded. "That's why I say that's not a hint." She smirked.

Hibiki shrugged and turned to look at the clock. The time was ticking slowly, and it was getting closer and closer to ten. He sighed and stood up, pulling Minako to her feet. "It's almost ten." He smiled and walked backwards to the door. "I don't think a few minutes would hurt anything."

Minako smiled softly. "Where are you taking me, Hibiki?"

"You'll see." He chuckled. They both pulled on some foot wear before leaving the house. They turned onto the path that led to the village, but instead of heading towards the village, they went the opposite direction.

Minako had never gone down the opposite side of the path. She sighed and looked up at Hibiki with a smirk. "Where does this lead?"

"You'll see." He laughed and drapped his arm over her shoulder. "Just relax and enjoy the walk." He whispered.

She smiled softly and sighed as she let herself relax as she looked over the scenery. The sounds of the night and their soft breathing filling her ears as the crisp fall air filled her nose. After a small walk along the path, Hibiki finally turned off into the woods and guided Minako along a path that he had memorized. "We're almost there." He whispered.

Minako smiled as she followed closely beside him, her mind swarming with questions. When they finally reached a small clearing with a small pond, Hibiki led her to a tree that leaned out across the water. He led her over the trunk until the tree split into two and reached out in opposite direction. There was a small branch that reached back, towards shore, and it was close enough to the trunk they were standing on that you could lean back against it.

"There, we're here." He smiled.

Minako smiled. "It's pretty. Did you come here when you were a kid?" She asked.

Hibiki shrugged. "Do you like it?" He smiled.

She nodded. "I do."

Hibiki moved forward and placed his foot between the two large branches that branched off into different direction. He looked out over the pond and sighed. "My parents came here twenty-one years ago."

Minako blinked in surprise. "So, they were here before you were born?"

Hibiki nodded and turned back to look at Minako. He moved forward and took her hands in his with a smile. "My father...he brought my mother here one night, around this time..." He explained and took a quick glance around.

Minako tilted her head slightly. "Like... this time, twenty-one years ago?"

Hibiki nodded. "This time...twenty-one years ago." He whispered and leaned forward to kiss her lightly on the lips before pulling back to look at her again. "And...if I remember correctly...he did something like..." He leaned down on his knee and looked up at her sweetly. "This..." He breathed.

Her eyes widened slightly. "H-Hibiki?" She whispered. "Y-You're not... really...?"

Hibiki shrugged and nodded. "Minako, I want to spend the rest of our lives together, if it's mutual..." He said.

Minako nodded slowly, still in shock.

"Will you marry me?" He asked, his lips pulling back into a wider smile, showing his teeth slightly as he looked up at Minako with anticipation. He slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out a small box, holding it up and opening it to show her the small golden band. There was a small diamond in the middle with a small swirl engraved on either side of the stone.

Minako smiled and nodded as tears brimmed in her eyes. "O-Of course I will, Hibiki." She whispered.

Hibiki smiled and pulled the ring from the box, placing it on the turnk of the tree to slip the ring onto her finger. He picked the box back up and slipped it into his pocket again before standing and embracing Minako. Minako hugged Hibiki tightly, as tears slipped from her eyes. She nuzzled her face into his shoulder. "I-I think your parents would be p-proud of you, Hibiki." She whispered.

Hibiki sighed. "If only they were still here..." He whispered. He hugged her slightly tighter and nuzzled his face into her neck. "I wish I could show them how my life is now. I wish they were here to meet you. My mom would hug you tightly and laugh with joy. My father would probably hug you and make some joke about controlling me..." He sighed.

Minako smiled softly. "They watch you as my mother watches me. They may not be able to say it, but I know they are happy with how you've made your life." She whispered. "I think my mother would have gotten along with your parents, Hibiki." She whispered.

Hibiki nodded. "I think they would have as well." Hibiki chuckled and pulled back, taking Minako's face into his hands. He looked into her eyes before leaning forward slowly and connecting his lips to hers barely.

Minako smirked and forced their lips together harder. "Don't tease me." She whispered.

Hibiki laughed lightly as his hands moved to her neck and he pressed his lips harder to hers. After a few moments, Hibiki pulled back to take in a deeper breath. He laughed lightly as he leaned his forehead against hers, his eyes searching hers.

Minako smiled softly. "So, this was Yuudai's idea?" She smirked.

Hibiki shrugged. "He asked me why I haven't proposed to you yet since I've hinted towards wanting to for a while. He kept pushing and pushing and eventually he gave me the perfect idea. He kept talking and talking and wouldn't shut up; and in a way, he helped me to plan out the there, the when, and the what."

Minako giggled softly. "So in the end, you came up with the idea of proposing to me in the same place and same time as your father did to your mother?" She smiled.

Hibiki nodded and pulled back. "It was only two weeks before the my parents were killed; it was their annivarsary, and after a long day, when my parents finally returned, my father took me out alone and brought me to this place. He..." Hibiki chuckled and sighed. "He was giving me a serious talk about my life..." He breathed a few times and continued. "He was telling me about how this was where he had proposed to mom. He had a bright smile, and he was telling me about how one day I would _have_ to marry, but first I needed to get my life in check." Hibiki chuckled again and shook his head.

Minako smiled softly. "And so you've decided that you're life is in check?"

Hibiki shrugged. "My parents had high expectations for me...and I hate to admit it, but Hotaka managed to whip me in check." He gritted his teeth. "Instead of my parents being the ones..."

Minako shook her head. She reached her hand up to caress his cheek. "That man didn't whip you in check, Hibiki... the pain he caused you forced you to whip yourself into check. Don't give that man any credit for the man you are today. You made yourself who you are, you just lived under his rules, nothing more." She murmured, searching his eyes.

Hibiki stared back at Minako and his expression softened. "Thanks." He whispered and pressed his lips against hers again.

She smiled against his lips. "Anytime, Hibiki." She whispered.

**-Five Years Later-**

Minako leaned over Hibiki who was sleeping soundly and kissed his forehead. "Hibiki..." She whispered. "Wake up."

Hibiki's eyes fluttered open and he looked up to see his beautiful wife luminating over him. "Morning." He mumbled.

She giggled. "Morning for you, afternoon for me." She smirked. "Kyo is asking for his father." She whispered with a smirk.

Hibiki smiled softly before placing his hand on the back of Minako's head and pressing his lips to hers. "Is that so?" He whispered.

She smiled and nodded. "Also, breakfast is ready." She smirked.

Hibiki nodded and pushed himself into a sitting position. He shook his head slightly and moved to his feet. He stretched his arms above his head before turning around and picking Minako up, throwing her over his shoulder and leaving the bedroom. Kyo met him out in the hall and looked weirdly up at his father with his bright blue eyes. "Mommy?"

Minako blushed faintly and sighed. "I'm fine, Kyo."

"What is daddy doing?" Kyo asked and tilted his head slightly.

Hibiki chuckled and ruffled Kyo's dark blue hair and moved past him to the kitchen. Yuudai long ago moved out of the house to give Minako and Hibiki space with their new children. Naoko was in the livingroom in the middle of the floor playing with a book, doing anything but reading it. Hibiki took in a deep breath and as he smelled the delicious eggs. There was a plate at the table with hard boiled eggs and a few pieces of toast. Hibiki smiled.

"Thank you for the food." He said and jumped slightly to make his shoulder more comfortable with Minako over it as he reached down to take one of the eggs into his hand and taking a bite.

Minako blushed. "I'm not as good of a cook as you, but it works." She smirked. "Can you set me down now?"

Hibiki shrugged and swallowed. "Nah."

Kyo turned around the corner and stared up at his mothers eyes. "Daddy is tall." He murmured and moved closer. He pulled at the back of Hibiki's shirt as he stared up at Minako.

Minako blushed and smiled at Kyo. "Hopefully you'll get daddy's height and not mine." She laughed.

Hibiki chuckled and slowly allowed Minako to slip to her feet. Keeping her pinned bwteen the table and himself, he continued to eat his breakfast. "What were you planning on doing today?"

Minako smiled softly. "Kyo wanted to go to the park. I figured Naoko would enjoy it too."

Hibiki nodded. "Sounds great." He said.

Minako smiled and looked to Kyo. "Uncle Ashton was wanting to join us too."

Kyo's smile turned into a grin. "Uncle Ashton!" He did a quick little twinkle-toe dance before running out to the livingroom to tell his sister.

"I take it he's back from his mission?" Hibiki said and finished the last bite of his food.

Minako nodded. "He came by here earlier. It was actually his idea." She smiled.

Naoko and Kyo returned to the kitchen. Naoko pulled at Minako's pant leg with a soft smile. She had pink hair like Minako and blue eyes like Hibiki. She smiled softly and bent down to pick Naoko up into her arms. "Kyo told you about Uncle Ashton coming over?"

Naoko giggled and nodded. "When he come?"

Minako smiled. "Well, we're actually going to meet him at the park with Aunt Chiyoko."

Naoko's smile grew as she wrapped her small arms around Minako's neck. Minako smiled softly and glanced at Hibiki, using her free hand to reach out and take his hand.

Hibiki glanced at Minako and flashed her a smile before leaning in to kiss Naoko on the cheek. "We're all going to have lots of fun." He said and smiled down at Kyo. Kyo's face brightened and he reached out to wrap his arms around Hibiki's leg. His head came to the middle of thigh. He laughed lightly and reached down to ruffle Kyo's hair.

Minako smiled as she looked between her children and then back to Hibiki. Naoko squirmed in Minako's arms to try and get down. She set Naoko down and she ran off to the livingroom again. Minako chuckled. "She has so much energy."

Hibiki laughed and bent to pick Kyo up in his arms. The boy shied slightly and leaned his forehead to Hibiki's chest. "Daddy, when are we going to go?"

Hibiki smiled and moved his arms tightly around Kyo's body. "Just let me get ready first and then we can go, alright?"

Kyo pulled back and his face contained a wide grin. He nodded quickly and turned to look at Minako. "Soon!" He smiled.

Minako smiled and took Kyo from Hibiki's arms. "Let your dad get dressed okay?" She set Kyo back on the floor. "Go play with Naoko until we leave, alright sweetie?" She smiled gently at her son.

"Daddy is already dressed." He looked in confusion at his father.

Hibiki laughed and knelt down. "You know these are pajama's, Kyo." He said and placed his hand gently on his sons shoulder. "Let me get into clothing that are not pajama's."

Kyo nodded and returned to the livingroom with his sister. Hibiki stood back up and turned to look at Minako, a short laugh slipping between his lips.

Minako smiled as she crossed her arms over her chest. "As of eight years ago, I'd never have thought of myself as a parent, let alone of two children." She whispered, smiling at Hibiki.

Hibiki smiled and placed his hand on her hip, pulling her closer and placing his lips to hers. "I wouldn't have thought so either." He chuckled.

Minako smiled softly. "I love you, my husband."

Hibiki moved his arms around her shoulders and pressed his lips harder to hers. "I love you too." He whispered and pulled back to smile gently.


End file.
